There was time, not too long ago, when South Africa suffered from a virulent dictatorship in which the minority lorded it over the majority. That was during the apartheid experiment in that country. During that time, many South Africans cried for help from other freedom loving people around the world, and even from a few dictators, too. Freedom loving people around the world banded together with the people of South Africa and fought against this dictatorship so that South Africans may become free. That was what happened in the historic election of 1994 that made Nelson Mandela the first democratically elected president of that rainbow nation.
Given that Mandela himself had a few friends who were themselves dictators, he preferred to stick with them because they had helped him and the South African people during their hour of need. Nelson Mandela's example has been followed by subsequent South African presidents, from Thabo Mbeki to Jacob Zuma.
Now, it might be understandable to stick it out with your dictatorial friend if they had helped you during your hour or need - as Mandela did with Gaddafi - even though it would be better to advise your pal to cut it out. However, it is a different matter altogether to stick it out with a dictator who apparently has no benefit to you, supporting them for the sake of supporting a dictator, as South Africa did with the ousted dictator of Central African Republic, Francois Bozize, losing thirteen of their soldiers in the process. South Africa's new constitution is crafted in such a way that would forestall any dictatorial tendencies from any leader. However, it is an open secret that South Africa goes around supporting dictatorships all over Africa. It is a shame that a freedom loving people would turn around an hoist dictatorships on others.
Given that Mandela himself had a few friends who were themselves dictators, he preferred to stick with them because they had helped him and the South African people during their hour of need. Nelson Mandela's example has been followed by subsequent South African presidents, from Thabo Mbeki to Jacob Zuma.
Now, it might be understandable to stick it out with your dictatorial friend if they had helped you during your hour or need - as Mandela did with Gaddafi - even though it would be better to advise your pal to cut it out. However, it is a different matter altogether to stick it out with a dictator who apparently has no benefit to you, supporting them for the sake of supporting a dictator, as South Africa did with the ousted dictator of Central African Republic, Francois Bozize, losing thirteen of their soldiers in the process. South Africa's new constitution is crafted in such a way that would forestall any dictatorial tendencies from any leader. However, it is an open secret that South Africa goes around supporting dictatorships all over Africa. It is a shame that a freedom loving people would turn around an hoist dictatorships on others.
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