causality vs correlation. They are not the same. Mbeki-Mandela enjoyed growth from world goodwill - and the end of South Africa embargos/bans/pariah status that had crippled Boer's apertheid. It's like Kibaki - most of his initial success game from end of MOi era --that is just correlation - an happenstance.
But whilst enjoying that honey moon - he destroyed South Africa - all the problems south africa faces except maybe corruption (which is not even a big issue) - genesis are in Mbeki distratous regime
1) Immigration - Zim quiet diplomacy - if he supported Mugabe publicly like he did privately - he should have come out - and do the same - and west bullies would have backed out.
2)HIV-AIDS - is unforgivable - not only him but health minister - was busy selling crazy ideas - while HIV-AIDS was killing people and Museveni in Uganda had proven a model that could defeat AIDS. While everyone was busy copying Museveni - he was in bed with HIV-AIDS deniliast. Hiv-AIds would go on to cripple south africa - in fact Zuma did better to reverse some of the crazy ideas that idiot was pushing.
3) Eskom/Electricity issues - can be traced to Mbeki.
4) Aborted Land reforms - I blame Mbeki. Crime started in his era. Xenophobia.
Zuma is only guilty of corruption. There is no a single policy issues he started or ended - he was just an incompetent corrupt buffon who drove the South Africa vehicle on the same direction he found it.
The wrong turn had already been made by Mbeki. He is therefore the main cause of South Africa problems.