In his state of the nation address to parliament on June 3, 2009, although speaking against a bleak recessionary backdrop, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma was at pains to stress policy continuity, referring to the country's "functional constitutional democratic system" as the basis for celebrating "our culture of continuity and collective responsibility . . . [which makes] us a unique country in many respects." Zuma further committed South Africa, among other things, to prioritizing Africa, strengthening regional integration in southern Africa, and supporting peace on the continent. ...