Zuma's visit presents opportunities

"Important" because South Africa is the powerhouse of the continent in many respects; "difficult" because the relationship has always been skewed in favour of South Africa whose transition to democracy 18 years ago has meant little to Botswana beyond instantaneous cessation of undeclared hostilities after the former pariah state joined the comity of civilised nations.

Of course, there is little doubt that the Big Brother mentality also reflects a willful obstinacy to perpetuate domination that was policy with successive apartheid regimes and mirrors the suffocating incubus that the legacy of white supremacy will remain for some time yet. In short, it simply means power relations among South Africans of different hues have not changed much beyond creating a ferocious coterie of honorary whites out of a singularly elitist black middle class. In one word, South Africa has a long way to go to catch up with itself and the world.