It's Mbeki vs Zuma

2007-12-17 22:27

Polokwane - It's official: the battle for the leadership of the African National Congress is a two-man shootout, between current president Thabo Mbeki and his deputy Jacob Zuma.

Their nominations were the only ones put forward for the post at the party's Polokwane conference on Monday, ending months of speculation on a possible compromise deal.

Sexwale steps aside

In a surprise move tycoon Tokyo Sexwale announced that he would step back from nomination as national chairperson of the ANC as a show of commitment to the empowerment of women.

He stepped on to the podium to loud applause when his nomination was announced at the ANC's national conference in Polokwane.

"In recognition of the fact that we are committed to the empowerment of women, I have decided to step back and do so in preference to Baleka [Mbete]".

His statement was met with deafening applause and cheers.

Mbete was then nominated from the floor - which pits her against the only other candidate, ANC strategist and Mbeki loyalist Joel Netshitenzhe.

For the position of secretary general, Mosiuoa Lekota and Gwede Mantashe were the only two nominations.

National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete declined nomination for deputy secretary general of the ANC and Thandi Modise, MK veteran and North West speaker was nominated from the floor by a Limpopo delegate.

A sea of hands indicated the 25% floor support necessary for Modise's nomination.

Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza accepted her nomination for the same post.

Former Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa was nominated for the post of treasurer to applause while Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's nomination was met with silence when she accepted it.

3 900 ballot papers

Voting starts at 06:00 on Tuesday.

The company running the election, the Elections Agency still has to run off 3 900 ballot papers.

And then, in terms of an agreement reached by delegates on Sunday, counting will be done manually rather than electronically - a concession to the Zuma camp, which feared manipulation of a computerised tally.

- SAPA