Alliance+tries+to+limit+fallout,+Karima+Brown,+Business+Day

Business Day, Johannesburg, 12 October 2006
=Alliance to try limit fallout=


 * Karima Brown**

THE tripartite alliance will convene a special 10-a-side meeting in a desperate effort to quell the escalating row between President Thabo Mbeki and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

The alliance secretariat met yesterday in a special meeting to consider developments since the latest African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee meeting at which Mbeki launched an attack on SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande.

The two leaders have locked horns after Mbeki singled out Nzimande and accused him of “provocation” and “extra-ordinary arrogance” because of the SACP leader’s criticism of Mbeki’s handling of division in the alliance, government economic policies which the SACP says are biased towards business and government’s handling of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The 10-a-side meeting will look at pertinent matters affecting the movement, including an effective and meaningful role for the alliance formations in policy formulation and implementation.

The secretariat criticised the leaking of Mbeki’s political overview to the media, which they said was meant to “create divisions and disharmony” in the movement.

“Furthermore, these leaks do not reflect the true and correct deliberations and positions of the movement as they are constantly distorted with perception, untruths and sometimes even blatant gossips and lies.”

The secretariat also criticised a decision by ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama to distribute Mbeki’s political overview to the media.

“The alliance secretariat regretted the distribution of the president’s notes to the media. The national executive committee statement released to the media covered key issues and resolutions arising out of all the discussions that took place at the meeting.”


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A288057**

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