Left 'won't influence' Motlanthe

2008-10-03 11:24

Johannesburg - President Kgalema Motlanthe will not be easily influenced by the ANC's leftist allies to make policy changes, he told the Mail and Guardian newspaper in an interview published on Friday.

Asked whether his trade union background would make him more sympathetic to the policy demands of the ruling party's allies, he replied: "No. The question is whether the policies they want to pursue are feasible, necessary and valid."

Motlanthe, who was an education officer in the National Union of Mineworkers, said the Congress of SA Trade Unions' attitude towards fiscal surpluses "is a matter to be debated".

"But the reality is that if we had not followed that policy [maintaining a fiscal surplus], I don't think we would have survived the current inflationary impacts.

"It has also somewhat saved us from the full impact of the financial and credit crisis in the United States and other parts of the world."

He said discussion documents would be prepared for the alliance's economic summit to talk about policies.

"But remember: policy formulation is sometimes hamstrung by lack of capacity."

Rumours of new political party

Motlanthe also brushed off speculation of a new political party.

"I really don't believe there is much substance to these stories. I don't believe any of the ministers who are steeped in ANC traditions of struggle will sign up for a breakaway party. But even if there is a breakaway party I don't think it could challenge the presently ruling ANC," said Motlanthe.

"Instead, if there are disgruntled leaders they should draw the correct lessons from the past few years and use that to rebuild the ANC into the powerful mass movement it always was."

- SAPA