UK prime minister ‘snubs’ South Africa president

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UK prime minister ‘snubs’ South Africa president

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma
British Prime Minister David Cameron has refused to meet South African President Jacob Zuma in London, passing him off instead to his deputy, Nick Clegg, a report says.

Irate at the snub, Zuma cancelled a Monday visit to London, throwing a “royal tantrum,” reported City Press, a South African English-language newspaper.

Zuma was due in London to attend the innovaBRICS conference, which promotes investment in leading emerging economies. South Africa was the event’s lead sponsor.

The paper said Zuma pulled out “after Britain refused to grant him an official audience with Prime Minister David Cameron,” and fobbed him off instead with a meeting with Clegg.

According to the Sunday Times, urgent meetings were held in Pretoria on Saturday in an unsuccessful bid to save the visit.

However, a statement from South Africa’s Presidency read, “His Excellency President Jacob Zuma will no longer attend the 3rd Annual innovaBRICS Conference in London, United Kingdom, which takes place on 27 October 2014.”

“The country and the president will be represented by four ministers. The delegation will be led by the Minister in the Presidency, Dr. Jeff Radebe, and comprises Dr. Rob Davies, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Nhlanhla Nene, the Minister of Finance, and Ms. Faith Muthambi, the Minister of Communications.”

Britain’s Foreign Office said, “The decision to cancel the visit is a matter for the South African government.”

Last year, Britain announced that it would stop direct aid to South Africa in 2015, citing the country’s status as Africa’s biggest economy.

Pretoria warned in reaction that the move would affect relations between the two states.

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