Mbeki+fights+for+ANC+control,+News24



=Mbeki fights for ANC control=

News24, 03/07/2005 08:26 - (SA)

 * Jimmy Seepe**

Johannesburg - The battle lines were clearly drawn on Saturday evening between ANC president Thabo Mbeki and his deputy Jacob Zuma over who will finally control the organisation.

A spirited campaign was under way late into the night at the ANC's national general council to take away Mbeki's power to appoint premiers and mayors of major metropolis.

A resolution calling for a recall of the powers conferred on Mbeki by the 1997 conference had already been passed by a commission and was awaiting final approval by the plenary.

A commission's outcome stated that: "The Mafikeng decision regarding the appointment of premiers should be revisited."

Since Thursday the plenary has been displaying a great deal of disdain for Mbeki and huge support for Zuma, who got himself "reinstated" into the full glory of his position as the number two man in the party, as well as an endorsement for the presidency in 2007.

The divisions ran deep, with seven provinces standing behind Zuma and only Gauteng and North West speaking against Zuma's reinstatement. The resolution to reinstate Zuma came amid songs praising him while denigrating Mbeki.

Zuma's supporters were vocal in their excitement and saw their victory as putting Mbeki in his place.

"There is a groundswell of discontent among members that Mbeki should have handled the issue (of Zuma) differently. This was a direct message to the president to find a better working relationship with Zuma.

"Members believe that Zuma still has a central role to play in the organisation and given a chance, can lead the movement. His firing has built a new support base for him on the ground among the structures," a supporter said.


 * Mbeki's power**

ANC head of the presidency Smuts Ngonyama confirmed that the issue of the removal of the powers of the president to appoint political heads of provincial and metropolitan governance was raised by several commissions, but said he did not know what the final position of the organisation was.

"The issue was raised by several people in the commissions. The matter was still to be finalised by the council's plenary (by yesterday). This was a proposal that the issue (of powers of the president) should be discussed at the next national conference (in 2007)."

He said the consolidated report of the commissions reflected what was discussed by various commissions during their sitting for the past two days regarding the state of the organisation.

By Saturday evening it was also clear that the resolution calling for a two-tier labour system, which would allow younger workers to be paid less and be fired more easily than older workers, was heading for a crash.

The Zuma camp was interpreting this as another victory against Mbeki.

A Mbeki supporter, however, said that was a mistake.

"The documents released for discussion were nothing more than discussion documents and there is no way something like that can pass here, not because people want to show their lack of support for the president but because they are wrong. Even I would not vote for a two-tier labour system.

"The NGC dealt with the issue of the deputy president and then went on to deal with policy issues.

"That helped because the tensions were now gone. And it is important to realise that all the fundamental policy positions have been reaffirmed," he said.

However there is no denying that Zuma has emerged from the council a more popular and stronger leader, as he has been given all his party's major responsibilities, including leading the deployment committee of the ANC.

The party is also working out plans for his financial support.

As the person in charge of the deployment committee, Zuma will have huge influence in the political appointments in national, provincial and local government.

His role may also be extended to parastatals.


 * Support for Zuma **

Zuma's reinstatement followed enquiries about his withdrawal from ANC activities, with some delegates wanting clarity on how they should interact with him.

Zuma had to address the council, saying that he had to withdraw his participation because he did not get any support from his colleagues within the NWC.

The controversy surrounding Zuma overshadowed many of the key issues that were up for debate during the four-day meeting. These included the council's decision to set a new protocol to govern its members leaving public office for the private sector.

The show of support for Zuma at the NGC raises the question of whether Mbeki is now a lame-duck president who rules the country without overt support from his own organisation.

A senior ANC member said this was not so. "It would be a totally incorrect reading of what is happening. The president enjoys support from members of the organisation," he said.

But ANC head of policy Jeff Radebe said the position taken by the NGC on Zuma was an organisational matter and should not be equated with the decision taken by Mbeki as head of state.

ANC chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota said that Zuma was free to accept nomination from the branch structures of the organisation since no court had found him guilty of anything.


 * From: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_1731219,00.html