Statement,+Alliance+meeting,+Johannesburg,+24+August+2005


 * Statement of the Alliance 10-a-side meeting held in Johannesburg, 24 August 2005**

The Alliance 10-a-side, made up of the national leaderships of the ANC, SACP, COSATU and SANCO met to discuss matters relating to the charges brought against the ANC Deputy President, and the ensuing developments. The meeting was characterized by frank, fruitful and constructive discussions.

In approaching these matters our Alliance is guided by the principles of our movement and the principles that underpin our democracy, which we are collectively committed to upholding. Our point of departure was that the unity of the ANC and our alliance is of paramount importance. The meeting recognized and agreed that this matter has caused deep hurt and outrage in all of our formations and that therefore we need to find a common approach in handling it. We are the only formations capable of leading our national democratic effort to continue with the transformation of our country.

Guided by these principles, the Alliance therefore agreed on the following:


 * 1) **Reaffirming our support for ANC Deputy President, Cde Jacob Zuma**

The Alliance reiterates that Cde Zuma continues to enjoy the full and unreserved support of the Alliance and each of its component organizations and members. The Alliance meeting further endorsed the decisions of the ANC NGC on the place and role of the ANC Deputy President. We particularly endorsed the decision that the collective and individual leaders of our movement must be respected at all times. In this regard the meeting also agreed that the President and the Deputy President of the Republic must be accorded respect and be supported as leaders of our country.

The Alliance reiterated its commitment to the upholding of the rule of law, the supremacy of the South African constitution, the principle of presumption of innocence, and the need for state institutions to respect the rights, dignity and integrity of all citizens.

The Alliance meeting urged Cde Zuma’s lawyers to approach the state to cover the costs of his legal defence, since he is facing allegations that emanate from his role as a public office-bearer.


 * 1) **Raid at the home of Cde Zuma**

The Alliance disapproves of the highhanded search and seizure operations at the homes of ANC Deputy President, including his lawyers’ offices. This is inconsistent with the NPA Act, which urges that the Scorpions must perform its duties fearlessly but with sensitivity to privacy and the dignity of the affected persons.

We are also concerned about the manner in which the media appears to have been co-ordinated to ensure public ventilation of even the details of the search and seizure operations.

The Alliance Secretariat will officially communicate all these complaints and concerns to the National Director of Public Prosecution. As the builders of this democracy we will continue to support and respect institutions of democracy, even as we continue to transform them so that they reflect the values underpinning our democracy.


 * 1) **On the way forward**

Accordingly, the alliance partners dealt with a range of perceptions emanating since the developments on the Jacob Zuma matter and agreed to continue assessing the basis of these perceptions which have not helped the common unity and purpose of the movement.

The Alliance meeting agreed that the management of the fissures created by developments around the ANC Deputy President is a priority, and we are committed and confident that collectively we will resolve all these. The meeting agreed that another 10 a side meeting will be convened in the coming weeks to discuss a range of other political matters of common interest. In particular, to continue discussions and exchanges around the outcomes and resolutions of the ANC NGC, SACP Special National Congress, and the COSATU Central Committee. We further agreed that many of the resolutions taken in these important gatherings provide a very firm foundation for further consolidating common alliance perspectives on the challenges of transforming our country.

The Alliance will also receive a report on the preparations and discussions towards the National Congress of SANCO, to be held in December 2005, as part of ongoing consolidation of our common perspectives and approaches to all matters facing the transformation challenge in our country.

COSATU also formally tabled its CC resolution on the matters relating to the Deputy President of the ANC. It was agreed that further engagement is required on these COSATU CC resolutions, within the context of the overall discussions of the resolutions of national gatherings of the other partners.

Alliance Secretariat
 * Issued by

Kaiser Mohau, SA Communist Party Smuts Ngonyama, African National Congress Paul Notyhawa, COSATU**