Mbeki's last meeting 'poignant'

2008-09-24 22:05

Michael Hamlyn

Pretoria - President Thabo Mbeki presided over his last Cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, in the course of which he read a long letter of thanks and praise to the assembled ministers and deputy ministers.

In return each member of his council of ministers spoke of their gratitude to him and their admiration for his achievements.

Afterwards the minister in charge of the government's communication and information service (GCIS), Essop Pahad gave an elegiac press conference at which he spoke of the meeting as "a very poignant moment, a momentous occasion". He said it was "a very special moment, a very emotional moment and very sad".

Mbeki's letter which will be sent to each individual minister and deputy spoke of the sacrifice and 'conscious and voluntary agreement to serve' which each had made.

"He said that we can hold our heads high and that we did our best to the best of our abilities," Pahad said. "The ministers spoke of their high, high, high appreciation of his work, his qualities and his intellectual abilities.

Many ministers felt aggrieved

"Some spoke of the first time they met him and some of the moment he invited them to become part of his government.

"They also spoke of the work of the deputy president, praising her commitment and dedication, and for driving us to do the things we needed to do."

He said that those ministers who have resigned would find their resignations took effect at one second past midnight on Thursday morning. "So those of us that go to bed early will go to bed as ministers and wake up not being ministers," Pahad said. He has resigned both as minister and as a member of parliament, and so will not be available to vote for the new president in the National Assembly on Thursday morning.

He told the media briefing that many ministers felt aggrieved - as he did - about the manner in which President Mbeki had been recalled by this party. He also made it clear that the president and members of his cabinet will continue with their appeal against the inferences made against them in the judgement of Judge Chris Nicholson in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

"It is in the hands of the lawyers now, and each of us must be ready to appear in court if we are needed," he said.

Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri acting president from midnight

Meanwhile Sapa reported that the GCIS said communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri would be the acting president from midnight until the new president has been sworn in Thursday.

The new president, expected to be ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, will be elected at a parliamentary sitting in Cape Town.

Members of the national assembly will meet in the chamber at 11:00 and, following short period for prayers and meditation, Chief Justice Pius Langa will call for nominations of candidates for election as President and thereafter announce the names of the persons duly nominated.

"Depending on the number of valid nominations received, the election is not expected to last more than two hours," said Vuyelwa Qinga-Vika, head of parliament's media management unit.

Thereafter the President elect, at the invitation of the Speaker, Baleka Mbete, will address the house. The proceedings will then adjourn.

"The swearing in of the President-elect is expected to take place at Tuynhuis in the same afternoon."

The new president is expected to announce the Cabinet and deputy president immediately after being sworn in.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)