THENEWSOUTHAFRICA
not be expected overnight," but "we can and shall break out of this bog.
There is hope." There was hope, too, that the economy would improve
and unemployment would decrease: "Our fundamentals are robust."
In words that white South Africans could not use without
being
branded as racist, Mandela denounced corruption by the new black elite,
especially in local government. "All of this," he said, "was spawned by
apartheid," but, he added, "it is also a reality of the present that among
the new cadres in various levels of government, you will find individuals
who are as corrupt as-if
not more than-those
they found in govern-
ment. When a leader in a provincial legislature siphons off resources
meant to fund service by legislators to the people; when employees of a
government institution defraud it for their own enrichment; then we must
admit that we are a sick society." Nevertheless, he concluded, "We dare to
hope for a brighter future, because we are prepared to work for it. The
steady progress of the past few years has laid the foundation for greater
achievements. But the reality is that we can do much, much better."
Mandela had prepared for a peaceful succession to the presidency. In
1997 he yielded the leadership of the ANC to his first deputy president, the