On April 22, South Africans voted in forth democratic elections since the end of apartheid. The African National Congress won about 65% of the vote, thus paving the way for Zuma to become the new president of South Africa.

Quoting unidentified South African diplomatic sources, the London Times writes that Jacob Zuma "has already indicated that president Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, who has been charged by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, will not be welcome at his inauguration on May 9, and that he could even risk arrest and deportation to The Hague."

The Australian writes that "the heads of state of four other states with 'undemocratic' leaders -- those from Madagascar, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea -- were also told to stay away from the ceremony."

If these reports are true, this will be a major foreign policy change by Jacob Zuma's new government, greatly differing from the policies of his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki.

During Mbeki's presidency, South Africa supported and protected some of the worst despots, tyrants, and human rights violators on the African continent and around the globe.

Darfur

While South Africa was a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council, the country's diplomats tried everything to suspend or delay the International Criminal Court's case against the Sudanese president for the war crimes in Darfur. They didn't mind the 200,000 dead and millions displaced in the Darfur conflict since 2003, which many analysts and aid organizations label one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.

Similarly, during its two years at the Security Council, South Africa has voted against imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe despite the unthinkable crisis and ruthless dictatorship of Robert Mugabe.

During the negotiations to end the crisis in Zimbabwe, many saw Mbeki as too soft on Robert Mugabe, thus prolonging the suffering of millions. While members of the opposition were being killed in Zimbabwe, Thabo Mbeki held Mugabe's hand on TV and claimed there was no crisis in Zimbabwe whatsoever.

South Africa, being economically the most powerful country in Africa, can play a major role in bringing democracy and peace on the continent. The indication that the new South African government under Jacob Zuma will not tolerate African dictators, tyrants, and alleged war criminals is a great step towards this goal.