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S.A. President Jacob Zuma Gives State Of The Union On 20th Anniversary Of Mandela's Prison Release

Aired February 11, 2010 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

STAN GRANT, CNN INT'L. ANCHOR, PRISM (voice over): Hello, I'm Stan Grant in Abu Dhabi. We are taking you live to South Africa now where Jacob Zuma the president of South Africa is about to address the nation. This is his annual state of the nation address.

What makes this all the more interesting and poignant this year is he has rescheduled this address to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the day that Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Of course, that was a watershed moment that really marked the end of apartheid rule there. Of course, he was then elected president, Nelson Mandela in 1994, as South Africa's first full race election.

There has been a lot of pomp and ceremony, of course, today, Jacob Zuma is now inside the parliament there. We can have a listen into what's taking place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(APPLAUSE)

GRANT: Well, there, of course, is President Zuma, you can see there, on the screen. Haven't seen, as yet, a picture of Nelson Mandela, or a shot of Nelson Mandela, the former president. He is believed to be there in the hall, awaiting President Zuma's speech, this state of the nation speech.

Very interesting, this year, of course, with so much focus on South Africa about to hold the World Football Cup. That will bring, of course, a lot of attention to South Africa, which has had enormous problems. Particularly problems with crime, and security in the years since the end of apartheid rule. But President Zuma will be addressing the members there in the house, shortly. So, we'll come back to that. I think when we hear a little bit more from President Zuma and see what he actually has to say.

Of course, a momentous occasion, isn't it? Twenty years since Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and of course, this state of the nation speech by President Jacob Zuma, coordinated to coincide with that anniversary. When we actually hear from President Zuma we'll get back in and have a listen to what he has to say.

Moving on now, though, a day of people power in Iran, as pro and anti-government supporters take the streets on a key anniversary. Tens of thousands packed Freedom Square in Tehran today to mark 31 years since the Islamic Revolution. Pro-government crowds cheered and waved flags as they listened to their president.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad touched on familiar topics. He railed against the West and announced the country has achieved a new nuclear milestone, producing its first batch of 20 percent enriched uranium.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(PROTESTORS CHANTING)

GRANT: Anti-government demonstrators also made their presence felt in the streets defying security forces. There are reports of clashes.

Well, Iran has imposed tight restrictions on foreign reporters covering the anniversary. Our Iran Desk, at the CNN Center, is monitoring the latest out of Tehran. Octavia Nasr has been keeping tabs on Iran's online social media.

But first, we turn to Ivan Watson-Ivan.

IVAN WATSON, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Stan.

The Iranian government succeeded in holding a big celebration for the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, carefully choreographed, very strictly controlled, hundreds of thousands of people out in the streets listening to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Eye-witnesses tell us they were given free lemonade, milk, cookies, for attending this. And that Mr. Ahmadinejad, he basically celebrated, praised the Iranian Republic for what it has achieved over the past 31 years.

Much more difficult for opposition activists to attend this rally, Stan, and we have been following because the state media is so carefully controlled, we have been resorting to using YouTube and other social media. Take a look at this. This is people who tried to gather today, tear gas used to disburse a crowd of opposition protestors.

Despite that, we saw that small groups were able to gather in the subway, for example, moving into the subway to chant, "Death to the Dictator". And we have some images of that, a crowd going through the subway, trying to congregate there. Also, images of the opposition protestors attacking signs of the Islamic Republic, on this anniversary; ripping apart the signs that have Ayatollah Khamenei, and the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini on that photo, and then stomping on that. So some remarkable taboos being broken there.

Despite that, the leaders of the opposition movement, when they tried to go to Freedom Square to attend the official celebration they were stopped and our own Reza Sayah spoke with the son of one of the key opposition leaders, maybe Karoubi. He says his father was attacked by Iranian security forces. Take a listen to this, Stan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMAD-TAGHI KARROUBI, SON OF MEHDI KARROUBI: Unfortunately my father received very bad gas tears. And his face is burned. And also, because rampant problems, internal problems at the moment, we have asked the physician to come and check.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Your brother was arrested by then?

KARROUBI: My younger brother is arrested by the police. And we are surprised because for two days, the people just came to demonstrated, to rally, to participate to show what we want, and also ask for our rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: And Stan, despite the heavy media restrictions here, restrictions on Internet usage, we see images like this, very disturbing images, of the security forces and the kind of measures they used on people who were not allowed to participate in this state sponsored rally. An anniversary celebrating the accomplishments of the Islamic Republic, but those do not include people who disagree with the government, Stan.

GRANT: Ivan, thank you very much for that. Ivan Watson at our Iran Desk.

We are going to take you back now, to South Africa, where President Jacob Zuma is going to have-to address the parliament there, with the state of the nation address. And of course, Nelson Mandela, you can see Nelson Mandela there in the audience. Let's listen to that President Zuma has to say.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED, IN PROGRESS)

JACOB ZUMA, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA: -to celebrate a watershed moment that changed our country. The release of Mandela (ph) was brought about by the resolute struggles of the South African people.

From our political prisoners and veterans who are with us here, all witness that because they are a part of that process. You will, of course, recall that the masses of our country, in their different formations responded with determination to the call to make the country ungovernable and apartheid unworkable. We are celebrating this day with former political prisoners who we have specially invited to join us. Welcome, in particular, those who have traveled from abroad to be here. Helen Pasturs (ph), Michael Tingaga (ph) from Botswana, Mr. Andimba Toybo Toybo of Soweto, Namibia.

(APPLAUSE)

We are pleased to be joined by members of the legal team in the Revonia (ph) Prison trial, Lord Joel Joffey (ph), who is now based in London.

(END LIVE FEED, IN PROGRESS)

GRANT: Let's break away from President Jacob Zuma there, giving his state of the nation address in South Africa. Of course, this coincides with the 20 anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela and those comments there from President Zuma saying that was a watershed moment in the country's history.

Watching on, also, President F.W. de Klerk, who was the last president of South Africa under the apartheid regime; and, of course, Nelson Mandela, himself, also there in attendance. We'll come back and forth to that as that state of the nation speech continues.

But moving on with our program, we were discussing, just before we went to that speech, Iran and the protestors on the streets today. Well, the demonstrators in Tehran are risking everything, event their lives. But the question is: Will their protests have any affect? Let's put that question to Abbas Milani, the director of the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford University, in California.

That is the question that everybody asks, isn't it? When I look at these pictures, we have been seeing this now, for months. Extraordinary, on the one hand, that these protests are able to continue and they are able to continue to get the message. But just what impact is it having inside Iran?

PROF. ABBAS MILANI, DIR., IRANIAN STUDIES, STANFORD UNIV.: I think the impact that it is having not just inside Iran, but around the world. It is showing that this regime has lost its legitimacy and that it basically can continue its rule with the use of tear gas and beating people and stopping peaceful demonstrators, attacking their own prime minister, attacking their own eight-year president, attacking their own head of the parliament, Mr. Karroubi, attacking Zahra Rahnavard, the wife of Mr. Mousavi. Arresting, today, they arrested the granddaughter of Ayatollah Khomeini, who is married to Mr. Hakami's brother.

All of these things, these brutalities seem to indicate to me not a regime that is very secure of itself, but a regime that is frightened and is behaving egregiously in a militarized and a overtly despotic manner.

GRANT: On the other side of the equation the we know that the regime says, look, there are protestors who come out in support of the government as well. What-how do the numbers stack up? If you are trying to get an indication of where the critical mass is, anti-pro-government in Iran, at the moment?

MILANI: Well, I think that if the regime is right, that the opposition is a very small minority, there is a very simple, empirical way to test it. Allow the opposition to have one peaceful demonstration. That's all. If they allow one peaceful demonstration, and the opposition cannot bring out millions, I would anticipate, then the game is over. When you continue trying to block every avenue for the young men and women who are trying to join a peaceful demonstration, that to me seems to indicate that they know, they know themselves, how isolated they are. Otherwise, if this was a democratic society, would a democracy be afraid of allowing a handful, or a thousand, or a few thousand of its opponents to gather and Hyde Park and demonstrate? Of course not. They won't allow it because they know they are isolated.

GRANT: You also mentioned before, there, about the impact this is having around the world. What about the support that the world, the Western world, is giving to the protestors themselves. There has been criticism in the past that there has not been enough, enough of a firm response, particularly from the United States, to support the protestors. What is your take on that?

MILANI: My take is that is absolutely true. They haven't been offered enough support. It is auspicious that we are talking about this right after South Africa. Mr. Mandela would probably be still in prison, if the international community had not come out, strongly, categorically, and said this must stop. This is not human. This is not 20th century. You cannot treat people this way. And that pressure brought Mr. de Klerk, and the rest of the whites, to their senses. I think the same thing has to be said to this regime. Enough is enough. You can't treat your own people this way. You can't treat your own leaders this way.

I mean, it is truly remarkable that the world, and particularly, China and Russia, they are the last two countries that support it. China should truly be ashamed of itself for supporting this regime under these circumstances, for selling it equipment to beat on the people of Iran, just as the regime is doing this. I can't believe that China, with its revolutionary past, is now become the last vestige of the most despotic regimes in the world.

GRANT: Sir, appreciate you giving us your time. Abbas Milani, director of the Iranian Studies program, Stanford University, in California.

Well, our Iran coverage continues tonight on "AMANPOUR", 31 years after the revolution, Christiane examines the future of the Islamic Republic. That is at midnight in Abu Dhabi, 21:00 in Central Europe. Then and hour later, on "CONNECT THE WORLD" Iranian Nobel peace prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, talks to Becky Anderson about the condition of human rights in Iran. And CNN's Jim Bittermann will tell us what it was like to cover the Islamic Revolution 31 years ago. That is on "BACK STORY" Friday morning at 9:30 in Abu Dhabi, here, of course, on CNN.

Well, he was once known as the hooligan of British fashion. Designer Alexander McQueen famed for his provocative styles, has passed away. We'll have more on his influence and what we know of the circumstances of his death.

And enough already, that is the message from the bound section of the U.S. as it tries to dig out from a thick blanket of white.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN LIFE FEED, IN PROGRESS):

JACOB ZUMA, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA: "--The remaining years of my life in your hand," unquote.

(APPLAUSE)

GRANT: We have been listening in to President Zuma's speech in South Africa. His state of the union speech, but right now a special tribute is underway at parliament in Cape Town, it coincides with South Africa's state of the nation address. As we said, President Jacob Zuma, delivering both, 20 years ago today, the world's most famous political prisoner ended his long walk to freedom. Former South African President Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in captivity for his fight against apartheid.

That speech, there by President Zuma, of course, giving his state of the national address in Cape Town, South Africa.

Well, a top British fashion designer has died, Alexander McQueen was found dead in his London home, according to a spokesman for his company. Atika Shubert is following the news and joins us now from London.

Atika, what are we learning about this death?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we know is that his family has confirmed that he was found dead in his apartment, at his home here, in London, earlier today. Certainly very shocking news and that was brought home when just half an hour ago we saw his body being brought out of his apartment and taken away, by a private ambulance.

While we were here, as the body was being taken out, we actually heard one fan shout out, "Thank you, Alexander." And you could see that this man was visibly shaken by the news of the designer's death. Clearly he has had an impact, not just in fashion circles, but beyond.

Now, again, what we know is that he was-his body was found in the apartment. Bu this family has asked for privacy on the matter. We also know from a Twitter page of Alexander McQueen's, that he said that his mother had passed away earlier this month and that he was devastated by the news. Now, that was on several Twitter posts he put out. It is not an account that has not be been verified by Twitter, but it is linked to the designer's official web page.

Now, in the meantime, friends and other designers have been coming out and saying how shocked they are by the news, saying that he was a genius of design and an incredible British talent. His legacy will live on, Stan.

GRANT: Atika, thank you very much for that. Atika Shubert joining us live there, from London. We are going to stay with story and get more now on the tragic death of Alexander McQueen. We turn to Lauren Goldstein, a senior fashion writer for "Time" magazine.

Lauren, of course, has interview McQueen a few times, and is writing a book about his friend who committed suicide.

Lauren, let me just get your thoughts, initially from someone who had met Alexander McQueen and closely associated with the fashion industry. Your thoughts about this death?

LAUREN GOLDSTEIN, FASHION WRITER, "TIME": Well, I think everyone was really shocked. I mean, when Isabella committed suicide she had been talking about it for a long time. But with McQueen is sort of came completely out of the blue. I think the industry has felt a real blow and a real loss.

GRANT: Of course, now tributes pouring in. We are just reading here that he influenced a whole generation of designers. He was known for his very bold designs and saw no boundaries. People describing him as a genius.

GOLDSTEIN: Yes, I think he really was a genius. Certainly one of the greatest talents working today and that was shown by, you know, the success he has had with his own company. It was one of the few young designers to be bought by a major group, in 2002. And he had just gone from strength to strength. The most beautiful and memorable collections and runway presentations that the world has ever seen.

GRANT: Of course, he had his own unique style, himself, as well, didn't he? I think he was known as the hooligan of the British fashion?

GOLDSTEIN: Yes.

GRANT: Explain that to us?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, he was a fabulously outspoken in an industry where people are mostly very careful. He never really shed or tried to shed his East End roots. He grew up in a fairly rough neighborhood, and being gay he was always very tough on the streets and that remained in his language and the way he talked about people who would upset him. And it was just sort of a very refreshing bit of honesty in an industry that can sometimes lack that.

GRANT: It is interesting what you say, that it is an industry that lack honesty. And I'm just wondering, looking at this death now, and such a young man, and a man who was so successful. What is there in the industry that is lacking? What you think he couldn't find in that industry to sustain him?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, I don't think it is fair to blame fashion for either his or Isabella's death. I think people have personal reasons when something like this happens. I think he-at least he felt acknowledged. He knew that he was a good designer. He was secure, I believe, in his talent. It don't think that had anything to do, necessarily, with this. I think he will-I think he will be desperately missed. I don't know what the company will do without him. I don't think this is a case where there was somebody else working hand in hand with him. But I wouldn't-you know, I don't think it is fair to say that fashion had anything to do with the suicide of McQueen.

GRANT: Lauren, appreciate you giving us time. Lauren Goldstein, there, fashion writer for "Time" magazine, the death of Alexander McQueen.

Well, ordering the best of the best in the world sports, up next for the Laureus World Sports Awards, are next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRANT: Well, more winter weather on the way in the United States, blizzard conditions hitting some parts of the States. Mari Ramos at the CNN World Weather Center with the details.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRANT: Well nominees for a prestigious sports award were announced in Abu Dhabi today. The 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards recognized the greatest sporting achievements of the previous year. Categories include Sports Man, and Woman of the Year, World Team, and Greatest Comeback. Earlier I spoke to Ed Moses, the Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman, and fellow academy member, Kapil Dev.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT: The Laureus Awards, a significant award, how important is it for athletes to win an award like this?

EDWIN MOSES, CHAIRMAN, LAUREUS ACADEMY: Well, Roger Federer said it well. He said it was the most important award that he's won in his life. And he's won it four times. I think it is the singular sports award in the world. We are definitely number one. And we are one of the few organizations in which athletes, world class athletes, like Kap, myself, John McEnroe, and Boris are the panel. So, it is very unusual.

GRANT: Kapil, just running through some of the names. Again, you have mentioned Roger Federer. Roger Federer is nominated again. Usain Bolt, of course, has captured everyone's imagination. Kenenisa Bekele, Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, motor GP champion Valentino Rossi.

A really wide spectrum of athletes, do you have a favorite at this point, or not?

KAPIL DEV, LAUREUS ACADEMY MEMBER: It doesn't matter if I have a favorite, or if he has a favorite, at the end of the day, I think the nomination done by the media then it comes to us. And we have to pick up, not talking to anybody, with our own thinking, who is the best and who is not the best. And who is-I mean, everybody is the best, let's put it that way. And it can be very, very tough. And it goes to the secret ballot, and then we pick who is the best.

GRANT: Just looking at the women as well, Serena Williams, of course, a stand out, a fantastic year. Swimmer are listed, Frederica Pellegrini, Britta Steffen, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sanya Richards, for athletes, U.S. ski racer Lindsay Vonn.

When you have such a wide spectrum of athletes and sports represented, Edward, how do you make a decision? How do you compare one sportsman with another?

MOSES: We try to look at the athlete and what they achieved in the sport, but also how relevant it is and how big it is, how grand it is, for that sport versus, say, a Valentino Rossi, in cycling, in motor cycling, who has done fantastic for every year, he's a candidate. So, we have to measure the weight of motor racing versus the weight of tennis. And we try to balance it out and not let tennis get extra votes, just because it is on television a lot more.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT: Edwin Moses, and Kapil Dev, of course, to former sports greats there with the announcement of the Laureus Awards nominations and the Laureus World Sports Ceremony will be held March 10 in Abu Dhabi.

And that's it for me in Abu Dhabi. "INSIDE AFRICA" coming up next, after we update the headlines.

END