2005-10-27,+Zuma+policy,+Mbalula+article,+Brown-Mde,+B+Day

Business Day, Johannesburg, 26 October 2005 = My thinking on economy, by Jacob Zuma = Karima Brown and Vukani Mde

AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma last night gave SA a rare insight into his thoughts on economic issues — and they may come as a surprise to his left backers in the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

Zuma, speaking on an SABC radio chat show, also denied there was a policy crisis in the ANC.

Zuma is at the centre of a succession struggle that pits a conservative faction, said to support President Thabo Mbeki, in the ANC against the left in the party and its allies. The allied organisations have for years been at odds with ANC economic policy under Mbeki, and have complained about being marginalised in policy formulation.

In his interview, Zuma, however, endorsed government’s management of the economy and said he supported a strong rand, a departure from the views of his key backers in the unions, who argue for a weaker currency.

Zuma’s endorsement of Mbeki’s management of the economy and the country as a whole is in contrast with his recent public statements, in which he rounded on Mbeki’s leadership.

It also became clear that Zuma may not be at one with Cosatu and the SACP on key economic policy questions. Commentators and even senior alliance leaders have said Cosatu and the SACP — who have called Zuma a “friend of the working class” — could not justify their support for Zuma as the former deputy president had never shown any preference for left economic policies.

However, Zuma was unapologetic about his presidential ambitions and the support of his backers in the ANC Youth League.

He said the youth league had always made its succession preferences known.

“When former president Nelson Mandela said he was only serving one term, some people said ‘Mbeki for president’.

“The youth league, then under Peter Mokaba, pronounced itself. There was no problem then.”

Zuma called on his supporters to show greater respect for state institutions and the constitution, after many said the judiciary would not give him a fair trial.

He said he would take SA into his confidence and tell the full story of his corruption trial once the legal process was over.

This could suggest a revival of the controversy around the arms deal.

From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/frontpage.aspx?ID=BD4A106086

Business Day, Johannesburg, 26 October 2005 = Mbalula lays charge as dirty-tricks war hits ANC = Karima Brown and Vukani Mde

IN AN indication that the African National Congress (ANC) succession battle could reach dangerous levels, ANC Youth League president Fikile Mbalula said yesterday he had laid a charge with the police following what he said were anonymous death threats. The youth league also called on Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils to investigate allegations of a plot to discredit ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma and secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe, allegedly led by top businessman Saki Macozoma.

Mbalula told a media briefing that the league had handed over to police closed-circuit television footage of a man who bypassed security at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters and demanded to speak to him.

When the man was told Mbalula was not in the building, he apparently made threats, warning the league to “stop the shit” it was saying to the media, and apparent reference to the league backing Zuma’s bid to succeed President Thabo Mbeki as ANC leader in 2007.

The Luthuli House incident follows Mbalula’s complaint to Kasrils that he had been followed by suspected National Intelligence Agency (NIA) operatives.

Kasrils’s dismissal of his complaint was a “misunderstanding” that had since been cleared up, Mbalula said.

The latest allegations come amid a growing dirty-tricks war inside the ANC over the party succession in 2007.

Last week Kasrils axed NIA director-general Billy Masetlha and two of his senior officials after they had allegedly spied on Macozoma.

The spy saga has since spiralled out of control.

Weekend newspapers reported on the circulation of e-mails purporting to be correspondence between Macozoma and senior government leaders, including Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, detailing plans to smear Zuma and Motlanthe.

The youth league yesterday called for the e-mails to be investigated despite Kasrils’s disavowal of them as a “hoax”.

“The recent reports of communications between senior government officials and some outside of government, present a possibility of a clique that is plotting against the ANC and its leadership,” said league secretary-general Sihle Zikalala.

“These allegations must be investigated, as they have the potential to feed into wrong perceptions,” he said.

From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/national.aspx?ID=BD4A106103