Mbeki+puts+blame+on+himself,+Moipone+Malefane,+Sunday+Times



=Mbeki ‘puts blame on himself’=


 * Moipone Malefane, Sunday Times, 23 December 2007**

//President reportedly angry and confused by his humiliating defeat//

President Thabo Mbeki’s determination to run against Jacob Zuma when all odds were clearly against him was this week described by one delegate at the ANC national conference as an act of “brinkmanship”.

“Mbeki is prepared to fight to the bitter end. And the end will be bitter,” said the delegate.

Following the announcement of the results, tears flowed among women Cabinet ministers in the Mbeki camp. There was an “after-tears” party in Polokwane where most of Mbeki’s people gathered after the defeat. If anything, this was the worst week of his political career.

The party’s matriarch Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was among those who phoned the President to express their “condolences”.

“The President was sad,” said one insider, while others close to him spoke of how he did not believe that ANC members would reject him in the manner they did this week.

ANC members backing Zuma had, on the first day of the conference, made life hell for Mbeki who was jeered while he delivered his opening address. Supporters were taunted with placards reading “Sorry Thabo”, “Time for Change” and “Thabo must go”.

He had just witnessed one of his most trusted lieutenants, Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, subjected to vicious howlings from the floor. Not a single Cabinet minister from his inner circle escaped the wrath of delegates. It was ugly.

“He blames himself for not paying attention to the branches and leaving everything to other leaders,” said a confidant.

He said Mbeki was angry and appeared confused by the turn of events. He believes he should have visited the branches more often, especially after the national general council in 2005, when the first signs of discontent against his leadership emerged. This was just after he fired Zuma from Cabinet.

“He relied on Kgalema [Motlanthe]. Little did he know that some of the leaders were silently working hard to ensure that he goes.”

As he walked off the podium in what was his final moment as ANC president, Mbeki was clearly a man in deep distress. His wry smile sold him out.

Mbeki walked with Zuma to the stage and his defeated troops followed. It was a glorious moment for the Zuma camp and a bleak one for Mbeki.

Failure to capture even one seat in the party’s top six positions was more humiliating.

Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka lost to Mathews Phosa. Lekota lost to Gwede Mantashe. Thoko Didiza could not muster enough courage to walk Thandi Modise to the stage.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma appeared to have graciously accepted defeat at the hands of Motlanthe while Joel Netshitenzhe was trounced by Baleka Mbete.

“They were shattered but still believe they put up a good fight,” a source said.

Many Mbeki loyalists left before the announcement of the National Executive Committee results. They included Mlambo-Ngcuka, Jabu Moleketi and his wife, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, who were both kicked out of the NEC. The Pahad brothers, Essop and Aziz, also left early.


 * From: http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=667365**

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