I enjoyed reading the article (Raila Odinga and his Nigerian Forty Thieves - for the use of language. I felt sad to feel that the future of South African politics looks to move into the same direction. Mr Zuma has taken over the leadership of the ANC, the majority and ruling party. Mr Zuma is most likely standing trial for corruption in August this year. His NEC (National Executive Committee) houses a number of convicted criminals. President Thabo Mbeki and some of his more prominent colleagues have consistnely been fingered for corruptive behaviour in the famous arms deal. Some 100 members of Parliament (mostly ANC) have been named as beneficiaries from fraudulent claims in the Travelgate scandal. They still hold their seats.

The only disturbing comment was that Mr Eugene Terreblanche was mentioned in this context. He seemed to have disappeared from the political stage and gone back to farming. SA sent Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa to Kenya, but he was sent home. He does have a reputation of being straight, honest and effective. He was considered to be a little one sided in his support and thus did not qualify as an unbiased advisor.

Other than the observations by Mr. Adesanmi, I would like to hear how Africa can get rid of these clowns with sticky fingers. Is it belated colonialism that keep these character in power?

Excellent article, placing the drive to privatisation in a clear light. (http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/31759). The expected returns on FDI, related to privatised public services, to shareholders will soon replace the interest owed on debts to the World Bank and IMF. "There is no free lunch". I hope African leaders will see the trap in time.

The two articles 'The political economy of regional trade agreements in Africa' and 'Africa needs action not words' (Pambazuka News 155, could be combined in one as they address the same issues from different viewpoints. The statement 'Africa produces what it does not consume and consumes what it does not produce' lies at the core of its continued poverty. When I worked for a timber company in Holland in the sixties, we could easily import logs from Africa. When we needed Oregon pine and Parana pine from the United States we were asked to give the sizes we wanted, as they did not export logs but only planks, one side planed. Primary labour done in the US!

Commodity exports from Africa include billions of lost employment. South Africa ships tons of iron ore to Japan and other places, while we have the facilities to make steel in bars, sheets or any other shape or form. Gold leaves the continent in blocks instead of in the shape of coins or jewellery or any other pre-industrial shape. I wonder what would happen if the African countries would unite and tell the world: you cannot have our raw products, tell us how you want it and we will make it for you! And - by the way - if you want the raw product, this is the price. OPEC did it. Remember the shivers going through the world in the seventies when OPEC laid down the law for oil supplies? Why can Africa not do it?

Ben Laauwen, South Africa

Your article on the commonwealth is spot on (Pambazuka 135: Commonwealth and Human Rights: Contradictions and Weaknesses). The organisation has lost most of its historical rights and today's relevance. It seems to be held together by the UK Queen and her desire (or not) to look important, which she is not. Certainly not in Africa. The North/South issues are far more important to Africa than the desire to keep the commonwealth together. Inconsistencies in its behaviour do help to dismantle this colonial relic.