Scott Macleod’s purpose of the article, “South Africa the Other Black Leader”, is to inform the political news audiences of the world that there is another black leader in South Africa. His name is Magnosuthu Buthelezi, and if South Africa is not careful, it could have a negative effect on the political well being of the country.


In the article, “South Africa the Other Black Leader”, readers will find a non-biased look at Magnosuthu Buthelezi. Macleod brings an important issue to his reader’s attention, that Buthelezi cannot be viewed as a non-threatening politician in South Africa. Macleod then sets the stage on what Buthelezi is known for and what he has accomplished in his political career. Most of the facts about Buthelezi are not positive and Macleod portrays him as the dark underdog trying to claim South Africa. For instance, “His power and the ruthlessness of many of his supporters are more apparent than ever in the three-year-old civil war between Inkatha, the Zulu-based mass political and cultural movement, and the A.N.C., which has turned the green hills of Natal province into South Africa's worst killing field. Since Mandela's release in February, Buthelezi's supporters have repeatedly invaded A.N.C. strongholds with shotguns and pangas. The upsurge in violence has left some 350 dead and forced 7,000 to flee” (Macleod, ¶ 3). Nelson Mandela understands Buthelezi cannot be wished away (Macleod, ¶ 6). Buthelezi has a very strong group of supporters that makes it very difficult to ignore his presence. Macleod leaves the audience with an important question to think about: “What role will Buthelezi now play?”, hoping to capture his reader’s interest in the politics of the South Africa Country looking for future news on the situation.


Although the audience may appear as general, Macleod is targeting people that follow the world political news, especially people who are TIME magazine subscribers. With that being said, this piece of writing may also be considered for audiences with at least a high school education because the vocabulary used was not intended for a younger audience.


Ethos refers to the trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker. Ethos is often conveyed through tone and style of the message and through the way the writer or speaker refers to differing views. It can also be affected by the writer's reputation, as it exists independently from the message; his or her expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth. The impact of ethos is often called the argument's “ethical appeal” or the “appeal from credibility.” Macleod’s ethos appeal is the most unseen of the three appeals. It is mostly implied, having a 30 year career in journalism and being TIME magazine’s Middle East correspondent for over 10 years.


Furthermore, logos refers to the internal consistency of the message; the clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence. The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument's “logical appeal”. Macleod’s primary mode of persuasion is the appeal to logos. Macleod employs many facts about Buthelezi in his writing to create a solid foundation to achieve his purpose. Macleod also inserts quotes from Buthelezi to make his purpose come alive and more apparent to the reader.


Pathos is often associated with emotional appeal. But a better equivalent might be “appeal to the audience's sympathies and imagination.” An appeal to pathos causes an audience not just to respond emotionally, but to identify with the writer's point of view; to feel what the writer feels. Macleod’s appeal to pathos is more evident than his appeal to ethos. Macleod provides his readers with a vivid description on what kind of political leader Buthelezi is in South Africa. This creates an emotion of fear for readers, on the idea of what could happen to the country if Buthelezi did take over.


In conclusion, Macleod’s purpose is to provide a very informative article on the other black leader of South Africa, Magnosuthu Buthelezi. Macleod employs many facts about Buthelezi and recent quotes stated by Buthelezi in his writing to create a solid foundation to achieve his purpose. The article creates an emotion of fear with the facts of Buthelezi and how he could be a threat to the political well being of the country if he is considered a political lightweight.