THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- February 16, 2018 - Topic 2

Change of guard: On Jacob Zuma’s ouster

Jacob Zuma’s resignation as South Africa’s President brings an opportunity to start cleaning up its government and institutions. The ‘Teflon’ president, a moniker the 75-year-old earned for his survival skills, finally gave in to weeks of pressure from his own party, the African National Congress, ending an almost nine-year-long, scandal-hit presidency marred by hundreds of allegations and charges of fraud, money laundering and racketeering. 

Despite having survived eight no-confidence motions, Mr. Zuma had little choice this time as his own party asked him to resign, with ANC legislators looking inclined towards even a no-confidence motion against him in parliament. The growing pressure on Mr. Zuma was also visible on some of those who allegedly colluded with him, notably the India-born Gupta brothers whose home in the swish Saxonwold suburb of Johannesburg was raided by the police on Wednesday. The trio — Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta — whose business interests range from mining to media and technology have been accused of using their ties with Mr. Zuma to enable “state capture” by possessing inside information, influencing ministerial appointments and swinging multimillion-dollar state contracts. The timing of the raids was hardly a coincidence. The ANC is only too aware of the need to get its house in order before the 2019 general election. Putting Mr. Zuma through a no-confidence motion would have further exposed a party that went from leading South Africa out of apartheid to administering a system and country characterised by high levels of inequality and corruption and a flagging economy, with 30% unemployment and low growth.

The way is now clear for the reformist veteran Cyril Ramaphosa, the new President. He has been a trade union leader, a key figure in the anti-apartheid movement and a close associate of Nelson Mandela. He led the effort to draft the country’s new constitution in 1994 and was an MP in the first post-apartheid parliament. With the ANC choosing Thabo Mbeki as Mandela’s successor in 1999, Mr. Ramaphosa’s presidential ambitions were dashed, and he focussed on his businesses instead — today, he is one of South Africa’s wealthiest black businessmen. In December, he won a close and bitter contest against Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Mr. Zuma’s ex-wife, to become ANC’s leader, and has now been given a shot at leading South Africa. Mr. Ramaphosa has spoken of a new phase and about prioritising the economy. This, in addition to his background in politics and business, gives reason to believe that South Africa has a significant opportunity for a change in direction and speed. However, whether and to what extent the new leadership will allow the law to independently take its course with regard to Mr. Zuma remains to be seen.

Vocabulary

Opportunity: a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.

Example: We may see increased opportunities for export

Synonyms: chance, lucky chance, favorable time/occasion/moment, time

Allegation: a claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof.

Example: He made allegations of corruption against the administration

Synonyms: claim, assertion, charge, accusation, declaration, statement

Fraud: wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.

Example: He was convicted of fraud

Synonyms: fraudulence, cheating, swindling, embezzlement, deceit

Antonyms: fairness, good faith, honesty, integrity

Inclined: feel willing or favorably disposed toward an action, belief, or attitude

Example: He was inclined to accept the offer

Synonyms: disposed, of a mind, willing, ready, prepared, predisposed

Antonyms: plumb, vertical, upended, swimming, unwilling

Visible: able to be seen.

Example: The church spire is visible from miles away

Synonyms: visible, seeable

Antonyms: infrared, invisible, concealed, occult, lightless

Collude: come to a secret understanding for a harmful purpose; conspire.

Example: University leaders colluded in price-rigging

Coincidence: a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.

Example: It's no coincidence that this new burst of innovation has occurred in the free nations

Synonyms: accident, chance, serendipity, fortuity, providence

Antonyms: disagreement, disproportion, dissimilarity

Expose: make something visible, typically by uncovering it.

Example: At low tide the sands are exposed

Synonyms: reveal, uncover, lay bare

Reformist: a person who advocates gradual reform rather than abolition or revolution.

Example: Ireland's environmental reformists , the Green Party, have played a shameful role during the campaign

Synonyms: crusader, social reformer, reformer

Antonyms: conservative

Ambition: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.

Example: Her ambition was to become a model

Synonyms: aspiration, intention, goal, aim, objective, object, purpose

Antonyms: carelessness, contentment, humility, indifference

Extent: the area covered by something.

Example: An enclosure ten acres in extent

Synonyms: area, size, expanse, length, proportions, dimensions