Zuma+charm+offensive+at+the+JSE,+Wilson+Johwa,+B+Day



=**Zuma’s charm offensive takes him to the JSE**=

Wilson Johwa, Business Day, Johannesburg, 15 November 2007
In a continuing charm offensive to win over big business, African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma met top business executives at a luncheon organised by the JSE in Sandton yesterday.

Described as a “private lunch”, the meeting was kept under wraps, with Zuma being whisked in — and then out — of the JSE’s offices.

Although sources said Zuma’s visit was a 12.30pm brief get-together, Zuma’s motorcade emerged out of the JSE’s basement parking lot only at 3pm. JSE president Russell Loubser could not be reached for comment.

Insiders in the Zuma camp could not comment on specifics discussed at the meeting, but said his message to the business community remained that he would bring no major change to economic policy.

Zuma’s bid to woo the business community comes after a leading US rating agency warned that a change of leadership at the ANC’s conference next month would create uncertainty in the market.

Analysts say the left’s support for Zuma has placed him in an invidious position.

This requires him to allay business fears of a radical policy shift to the left should he emerge victorious at the ANC conference, and therefore well placed to assume the country’s presidency in 2009.

Other contenders for the ANC’s top job are President Thabo Mbeki and businessman Tokyo Sexwale.

University of Johannesburg analyst Adam Habib said while Zuma would want to strengthen his candidacy by making overtures to the business community, the business sector was also keen to explore options. “They are covering their bases. This is an intervention from both sides.”

Last month, Zuma met investors from Merrill Lynch, one of the US’s biggest investment banks, at a lunch in Johannesburg.

He assured them there would be no significant policy shift after the ruling party’s national conference. In September, Zuma also addressed a gathering of international fund managers at the invitation of Citigroup.

Earlier in the year, he spoke to business executives at a breakfast meeting organised by the Institute of Race Relations.

In April, Zuma took his campaign to Brussels where he met European Union (EU) officials, including members of the European Parliament, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

In a major blow to Zuma’s campaign, the Supreme Court of Appeal this month upheld an appeal against a high court ruling preventing prosecutors from using documents seized from him and his lawyer.


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=3055453**

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