Mbete+tipped+for+ANC+chairman,+Sithembiso+Msomi,+City+Press



=Mbete tipped for ANC chairman=


 * S'Thembiso Msomi, City Press, 9 December 2007**

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete is now most likely to be ANC presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma's preferred candidate for the party's national chairpersonship.

This comes after foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma declined nomination by Zuma supporters for her to take up the post and opted to stand for the party's deputy presidency.

The Zuma camp is expected to make its final decision tomorrow, following consultation with branches, on whether to back Mbete as their national chairperson candidate.

It is understood that the matter is likely to be raised during a workshop of ANC KwaZulu-Natal delegates today, as the province was behind the move to have Dlamini-Zuma in that post.

So far, businessman Tokyo Sexwale and government policy head Joel Netshitenzhe are the only candidates for the position, following Dlamini-Zuma's withdrawal. Netshitenzhe was nominated by President Thabo Mbeki's supporters in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North West provinces.

Sexwale was nominated by the pro-Mbeki Western Cape.

But the hopes of Sexwale's supporters that Dlamini-Zuma's withdrawal would swing the pendulum in his favour, as the Zuma camp would then throw their lot with him, seem to have been misplaced. Zuma camp insiders say they are not interested in a deal with the mining magnate.

"What do we stand to gain from such a deal? Nothing. Consensus is likely to be reached around Baleka as the national chair," said a Zuma lobbyist.

In terms of the ANC electoral rules, a person can be nominated from the floor at conference to stand for any position in the national executive committee.

If Mbete runs for the national chairperson post, the Zuma camp would then nominate North West speaker Thandi Modise to replace Mbete as their preferred candidate for the position of deputy secretary-general (DSG).

While one pro-Zuma leader described Dlamini-Zuma's refusal to stand for the chairperson post as a "blow" for the camp, he said it was also a "blessing in disguise".

"Baleka's concern always seemed to be that she was not ready to leave Parliament and the DSG post is full time at Luthuli House. If she is national chair, she can stay on in Cape Town," said the leader.

While Dlamini-Zuma's decision has angered the Zuma camp, it has been accepted with relief in the Mbeki camp as she is seen as a popular candidate who would give Kgalema Motlanthe a run for his money.

Motlanthe, who is currently ANC secretary-general, is the Zuma camp's preferred deputy presidential candidate.

The Mbeki camp hopes that delegates at the conference will prefer Dlamini-Zuma, in line with the proposed ANC policy of gender parity in leadership structures. But, based on the outcomes of the provincial general council meetings two weeks ago, Motlanthe looks most likely to emerge victorious.

Another important leadership duel at the conference is going to be between Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and former trade unionist Gwede Mantashe.

The outcome of this contest, too, is likely to be dependent on the balance of forces between the Mbeki and Zuma camps at the conference. If the Zuma camp is stronger, Mantashe would be the new ANC secretary-general.


 * From: http://www.news24.com/City_Press/News/0,,186-187_2235599,00.html**

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