Mbeki+fights+back,+Harper,+Mahlangu,+Mkhabela,+Malefane,+S+Times



=Mbeki fights back=


 * Harper, Mahlangu, Mkhabela, Malefane, Sunday Times, 23 December 2007**

//Fears of new war between Zuma’s party and Mbeki’s state//

President Thabo Mbeki’s camp is preparing for a new battle with Jacob Zuma’s supporters, whom they accuse of threatening to give Mbeki’s government a rough ride in 2008.

At the same time, the Zuma camp, which has now taken control of the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, is also planning ways to curb Mbeki’s power and prevent him from undermining the party leadership.

The Sunday Times has learnt that behind the facade of unity being displayed by the two camps in the wake of Zuma’s landslide victory over Mbeki in Polokwane this week, both sides are planning for renewed turf wars in 2008.

This week the Mbeki camp was awash with talk that some senior ministers — particularly those who campaigned against Zuma — might resign their positions for fear of retribution.

A senior Mbeki ally warned that the Cabinet would not tolerate interference from Luthuli House.

“The President and senior members of his Cabinet will resign if the ANC makes the situation untenable,” the senior ANC member said.

The Sunday Times has learnt that some staff at Luthuli House — mostly in the Office of the Presidency — were preparing to resign as early as this week. The head of the ANC presidency office is Smuts Ngonyama, a key Mbeki ally, who is also expected to clear his desk soon.

An influential Zuma supporter told the Sunday Times that the biggest threat the Zuma camp faced “is the space that Mbeki still commands in government”.

“Thabo would use whatever means to fight back. That is the problem we have on our hands.

“That man is ruthless. He can be dangerous. Give him space and he will destroy you. It will be important to keep a close watch on him,” he said.

Though there is still a strong push in the Zuma camp for Mbeki’s presidency to be cut short by a vote of no confidence in Parliament, powerful insiders believe Mbeki and his Cabinet should be “managed” into implementing new ANC policies.

The ANC, Cosatu and the SA Communist Party will hold a tripartite alliance summit in March, where government policies and programmes will be evaluated.

Among the issues the new ANC leadership wants dealt with are floor-crossing legislation, acceleration of land reform, better spending of the budget surplus, the incorporation of the Scorpions into the SAPS and reversal of the appointment of a pro- Mbeki SABC board.

Mbeki ratified the board appointments, which ANC MPs say were rammed down their throats by a committee led by Ngonyama.

“We don’t want revenge or retribution, no matter how badly people were treated under the chief. There is absolutely no need for people to be forced out of government,” said one high-ranking Zuma backer.

“Rather, we need to focus on ensuring that they do the will of the party in implementing policies that come out of Polokwane.

“It is about ensuring that the decisions of the ANC’s highest decision-making body are respected and implemented by the same people who have, in the past 10 years, failed to do so. This is about reversing the damage, not payback.”

One of Mbeki’s top aides has revealed that the Mbeki camp’s first option is going to be “fighting the war within government”.

He said the Cabinet would push through “programmes that will make it difficult for those who are hungry for power to change things easily”.

He went on: “We are going to push several pieces of legislation and if they are resisted, then the public will have to intervene.

“This battle will have to be taken to the streets outside the ANC.”

The Mbeki ally told the Sunday Times that “all was not lost”.

He said: “We are regrouping to win the battle that lies ahead. As head of government, Mbeki still wields a lot of power and influence.”

The second option, according to Mbeki’s camp, “is to wait and see how Zuma manages the transition”.

“We feel that there will be tension as we move along. What is likely to happen is people around Zuma will want to see changes overnight and they will push at all costs.”

He said the Mbeki camp’s third option would be to “let things stand but launch a comeback campaign that will see Mbeki return to power with Kgalema [Motlanthe] as his deputy”.

“Zuma is not a threat to us, but the problem is with people around him.”

He said the worry among ministers was the “pending conflict within the Zuma camp”.

He said: “That has the potential to destroy this country and the ANC. How do you manage such a state of affairs?

“We are going to draw the public, business and civil society into our programmes. Let the Zuma people prove to the nation that we are wrong in what we are doing. This fight is not over yet.”

Education Minister Naledi Pandor said it would be “immature” of anyone to purge Mbeki’s ministers.

“Why would anybody axe me? I am doing my job.”

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said a good relationship and “good chemistry” between Mbeki and Zuma was crucial at this point.

“If their relationship does not improve, there might be a challenge,” he said.

Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said: “There is no basis for fear [among ministers] unless you have another agenda. Anybody who does not heal now is not an ANC member.”

Zuma’s close ally and ANC NEC member Ebrahim Ebrahim said the new NEC would meet in January to analyse the outcome of the conference and discuss the “process of healing and unity”. Another senior NEC member said that, although Luthuli House would not want to “micro-manage” government, the ANC headquarters “will have the right to call any Cabinet minister to account”.

Joel Netshitenzhe, an Mbeki ally who retained his position in the NEC, said: “The President [Mbeki] is there because he was directed by the ANC to be there.

“He will remain there to finalise the implementation of the mandate he was given.

“I would not envisage the possibility of any purge at all.”


 * From: http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=667447**

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