Political leadership in post-apartheid South Africa
A Jacana Pocket History by Anthony Butler

At the pinnacle of the state, a president is expected to set the national agenda, offer moral leadership and contend with the practical challenges of government. In a world wrestling with the rise of ‘strongman’ leaders, Anthony Butler moves beyond traditional political biography to dissect the complex nature of presidential power in post-apartheid South Africa.

Presidential Power grapples with an enduring puzzle: How much difference do political leaders really make to the course of a country’s history? The book explores the presidencies of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa, showing how each navigated a unique set of constraints and opportunities.

Butler frames his analysis around four critical tensions: The dual roles of head of state and head of government; the intricate relationship between party and state; the interplay of domestic and international policy and the deployment of both formal and informal power.

'Presidential Power' is published by Jacana Media