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According to the Media Tenor analysis of the coverage South Africa received in international media from April - June, the current image of the country abroad is not particularly encouraging. The results of the study of 96 media from 12 countries show, that Africa's economically most developed country was usually mentioned in relation to crime issues (17% of all coverage), particularly rape, sexual abuse, murders and related court cases.

One 'event' above all contributed to this unflattering image: the court case involving former Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who was accused of raping an HIV positive activist, but later on May 8 acquitted of all charges. The case has received an unprecedented media attention at home as well as caught the eye of leading international media. It has also sparked an increase of unfavourable international coverage on HIV/AIDS in relation to South Africa and thus contributed to the overall negative country's image during the analysed period.

After the court case was concluded, the coverage on crime (as well as HIV/AIDS) dropped significantly, receiving only 5% of all coverage in June (17% in April and 28% in May), but however remained on international media agenda for South Africa. Chinese media in July for instance reported on growing violence in South African schools (Xinhua News Agency: 'South African schools blamed for violence', 19/7), while British The Daily Telegraph covered an armed robbery of British schoolchildren in Johannesburg in late July ('Schoolchildren on sporting tour robbed at gunpoint in South Africa', 29/7). And with approaching second trial for former SA Deputy President, this time focusing on corruption charges, the crime issues might remain in the spotlight just for a little bit longer.

There is some positive news for South Africa too. Business, it appears, remains the main stronghold of favourable media reporting on this 'African superpower'. Listed as the second most reported on issue during the analysed period, 20% of all reporting on business was positive in tone and 'only' 6% negative, with British and Indian media showing the most optimism. Confidence was further extended to economy, which also received noticeably more praise than criticism from April to June (18% of positive and 8% of negative coverage), and sport related issues (18% of positive, 3% of negative coverage).

Nevertheless, the positive sentiment towards business and economy seems to have little effect on how media are seeing the South Africa's readiness to host the 2010 Cup. While South African president Thabo Mbeki has 'absolutely no worries, that the World Cup will be a success in South Africa' (The Independent, 10/7), media not only remain sceptic that the country will manage to overcome its current problems with crime, insufficient infrastructure and transport by 2010, but some go even further and suggest that South Africa doesn't even need the world cup. 'South Africa has AIDS problems. South Africa has crime problems. South Africa has poverty problems', wrote Grahame L. Jones in Los Angeles Times on 8th of July. 'Schools and hospitals would seem a far greater priority than putting on a sideshow for one month in their winter of 2010 so that international corporations can fete their clientele in hospitality tents while Africa's hungry watch and weep.' Now, local world cup organisers may disagree and protest, but it will sure take something more than just few Mbeki's, Anann's and Blatter's big words at the unveiling of the official logo for World Cup 2010 to convince the media as well. And if they want their support in persuading the fans to help them fulfil the economic potential they say the 2010 World Cup promises, they better roll up their sleeves soon.

BASIS:.

Media: 96 international media in 12 countries: Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, UK, USA.

Time: 01/04/2006 - 30/06/2006.

Analysis: 557 articles/reports on South Africa in 96 media in 12 countries