OK - so details on the failing tests - for the record only.

However, I would appreciate some 'expert' feedback on what is expected to be happening in this test:

======================================================================
FAIL: test_sysconfig_compiler_vars (distutils.tests.test_sysconfig.SysconfigTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_sysconfig.py", line 102, in test_sysconfig_compiler_vars
    self.assertEqual(global_sysconfig.get_config_var('LDSHARED'), sysconfig.get_config_var('LDSHARED'))
AssertionError: 'Modules/ld_so_aix xlc_r -bI:Modules/python.exp' != '/opt/lib/python2.7/config/ld_so_aix xlc_r -bI:/opt/lib/python2.7/config/python.exp'

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BULK details...

======================================================================
ERROR: test_record_extensions (distutils.tests.test_install.InstallTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_install.py", line 216, in test_record_extensions
    cmd.run()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/install.py", line 563, in run
    self.run_command('build')
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/cmd.py", line 326, in run_command
    self.distribution.run_command(command)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/dist.py", line 972, in run_command
    cmd_obj.run()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build.py", line 127, in run
    self.run_command(cmd_name)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/cmd.py", line 326, in run_command
    self.distribution.run_command(command)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/dist.py", line 972, in run_command
    cmd_obj.run()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 340, in run
    self.build_extensions()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 449, in build_extensions
    self.build_extension(ext)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 531, in build_extension
    target_lang=language)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/ccompiler.py", line 691, in link_shared_object
    extra_preargs, extra_postargs, build_temp, target_lang)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/unixccompiler.py", line 202, in link
    raise LinkError, msg
LinkError: command '/opt/lib/python2.7/config/ld_so_aix' failed with exit status 1

======================================================================
ERROR: test_search_cpp (distutils.tests.test_config_cmd.ConfigTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_config_cmd.py", line 46, in test_search_cpp
    match = cmd.search_cpp(pattern='xxx', body='/* xxx */')
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/config.py", line 206, in search_cpp
    src, out = self._preprocess(body, headers, include_dirs, lang)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/config.py", line 129, in _preprocess
    self.compiler.preprocess(src, out, include_dirs=include_dirs)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/unixccompiler.py", line 113, in preprocess
    raise CompileError, msg
CompileError: command 'xlc_r' failed with exit status 40

======================================================================
ERROR: test_build_ext (distutils.tests.test_build_ext.BuildExtTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py", line 63, in test_build_ext
    cmd.run()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 340, in run
    self.build_extensions()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 449, in build_extensions
    self.build_extension(ext)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 531, in build_extension
    target_lang=language)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/ccompiler.py", line 691, in link_shared_object
    extra_preargs, extra_postargs, build_temp, target_lang)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/unixccompiler.py", line 202, in link
    raise LinkError, msg
LinkError: command '/opt/lib/python2.7/config/ld_so_aix' failed with exit status 1

======================================================================
ERROR: test_get_outputs (distutils.tests.test_build_ext.BuildExtTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py", line 292, in test_get_outputs
    cmd.run()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 340, in run
    self.build_extensions()
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 449, in build_extensions
    self.build_extension(ext)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 531, in build_extension
    target_lang=language)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/ccompiler.py", line 691, in link_shared_object
    extra_preargs, extra_postargs, build_temp, target_lang)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/unixccompiler.py", line 202, in link
    raise LinkError, msg
LinkError: command '/opt/lib/python2.7/config/ld_so_aix' failed with exit status 1

======================================================================
FAIL: test_sysconfig_compiler_vars (distutils.tests.test_sysconfig.SysconfigTestCase)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/distutils/tests/test_sysconfig.py", line 102, in test_sysconfig_compiler_vars
    self.assertEqual(global_sysconfig.get_config_var('LDSHARED'), sysconfig.get_config_var('LDSHARED'))
AssertionError: 'Modules/ld_so_aix xlc_r -bI:Modules/python.exp' != '/opt/lib/python2.7/config/ld_so_aix xlc_r -bI:/opt/lib/python2.7/config/python.exp'

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 194 tests in 3.254s

FAILED (failures=1, errors=4, skipped=21)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "test_distutils.py", line 18, in <module>
    test_main()
  File "test_distutils.py", line 13, in test_main
    test_support.run_unittest(distutils.tests.test_suite())
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/test/test_support.py", line 1494, in run_unittest
    _run_suite(suite)
  File "/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/test/test_support.py", line 1477, in _run_suite
    raise TestFailed(err)
test.test_support.TestFailed: multiple errors occurred
root@x064:[/data/prj/python/Python-2.7.13/Lib/test]