Zuma makes private US visit

2007-12-05 13:00

Johannesburg - African National Congress (ANC) presidential hopeful and current deputy ANC president, Jacob Zuma has made a private visit to the US.

Strategic Forecasting, Inc (Stratfor) - a private intelligence company - said in a statement on Wednesday that it had invited and facilitated Zuma's private visit to Austin, Texas.

"Mr Zuma spent several days in Austin, Texas, in private meetings with senior US leaders of global business, investment and education.

"He was particularly interested in ways to strengthen educational programmes in South Africa at the primary and secondary levels as well as agreeing on the importance of technical education, including engineering and computer technology," the statement said.

Zuma focused on the opportunities available within SA for western and particularly US investors.

The meetings were considered highly successful in establishing a better understanding by US business leaders of Zuma's thoughts, Stratfor said.

Stratfor's CEO, George Friedman, said: "I was tremendously impressed with Jacob Zuma who is a very gracious man. I learned a great deal from him about South Africa and about leadership."

- SAPA