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Viewing cable 07JOHANNESBURG230, THANKS, BUT NO THANKS--SOME POTENTIAL SOUTH AFRICAN PARTNERS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07JOHANNESBURG230 2007-08-03 13:04 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Johannesburg
VZCZCXRO0607
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHJO #0230 2151304
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031304Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5919
INFO RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1821
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 0581
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY 0489
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 2643
UNCLAS JOHANNESBURG 000230 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR CAROL THOMPSON 
AF/PD FOR CLAUDIA ANYASO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINR PTER PGOV SCUL KPAO SF
SUBJECT: THANKS, BUT NO THANKS--SOME POTENTIAL SOUTH AFRICAN PARTNERS 
RELUCTANT TO WORK WITH US 
 
REF: 06 JOHANNESBURG 435 
 
1.  Summary: Three times in as many weeks, potential PAS 
partners have reversed course and decided not to accept PAS 
grants or offers.  Though some of our partners were somewhat 
circumspect and only hinted that this was because of an official 
disapproval of US foreign policy, one union contact scheduled to 
travel to the US as an IV grantee told us the union's central 
committee specifically cited its opposition to "Bush 
administration policies" in refusing permission for the grantee 
to travel.  Though we still have many partners with whom to work 
in South Africa, those with government affiliations often seem 
to want to keep us at a distance.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Last year, post reported on our difficulties partnering with 
organizations or individuals in the Muslim community due to 
hostility toward the United States (see reftel.)  In the broader 
South African context, interactions are much better, but recent 
weeks have pointed out that there is some reluctance in official 
circles to working with us. 
 
3.  On July 13th, the National Council of Trade Unions (NACTU) 
general secretary Mahlomola Skhosana told us that the union 
federation's central executive committee (CEC) had decided to 
deny IV candidate Moemedi Kepadisa permission to travel to the 
United States to demonstrate its opposition to the "Bush 
administration policies."  Kepadisa had been nominated to 
participate in a Multi-Regional Program (MRP) on organized labor 
.  A clearly embarrassed, and disappointed, Skhosana could not 
indicate which aspects of President Bush's administration policy 
the labor federation's leadership found objectionable. 
Skhosana, who has had a long-standing working relationship with 
the ConGen's labor section, blamed the change in policy on 
NACTU's new leadership, led by the federation's newly-appointed 
deputy general, Manene Samela.  He labeled Samela and colleagues 
as "ideologues" who were bent on politicizing NACTU and thus 
undermining long-standing relationships that have been built by 
the organization. 
 
4. This conversation followed two similar ones that PAS 
Johannesburg has had with potential partners.  In the first a 
reporter for the SABC International called to ask for a meeting 
to explore possible exchanges and training.  After we had agreed 
to meet, the reporter called back and reported that his boss had 
told him that he could not meet with us after all, unless he did 
so in an unofficial capacity.  Shortly after, a long time 
partner, the director of the Johannesburg Public Library with 
whom we have had discussions about hosting PAS Programs and a 
collection at the library, informed us that the Municipal 
Council Committee for libraries had rejected any such 
arrangements with us.  The Director told us that he understood 
that politics, and a reluctance to be seen working with the 
United States, were major factors in the decision. 
 
5. Comment: We still have partners aplenty in South Africa-our 
shared histories and values make our nations natural partners. 
People to people contacts between the two countries indeed seem 
to be thriving-many private Americans are active in South 
African NGOs, academia and the broader community.  But there is 
also no doubt that for some of our contacts, the USG brand is a 
less than positive label.  End Comment 
 
COFFMAN