Mbete to take Mbeki's place?

2008-09-18 09:37

Staff reporters

Cape Town - There are increasing signs that President Thabo Mbeki could be replaced as head of state within days and that Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the National Assembly, may - at least temporarily - take his place.

In an attempt to try and dampen the speculation, ANC national spokesperson Jessie Duarte said on Wednesday that a decision of this nature could only be taken by the ANC's national executive committee (NEC), which was meeting at the weekend.

"People are currently mixing constitutional provisions with their fears and are dishing these up as opinions. I know what the Youth League said, but the Youth League doesn't speak on behalf of the ANC.

"This is too important an issue and no one except the NEC can take this decision. Rumours that the leadership has already made a decision are nonsense," she said.

Her statements were supported by ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe.

Jacob Zuma, who attended the Independent Electoral Commission's launch of the 2009 election in Midrand on Wednesday, ignored all enquiries from journalists.

Mbeki's sacking of Zuma a guideline

On Wednesday, ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa hinted strongly that Mbeki could indeed be axed.

With reference to Mbeki's sacking of Zuma, he said: "The events of 2005, when a judge also made a ruling and leaders, including the president, acted on that ruling, contain some guidelines for handling this situation.

"We are meeting this weekend and will have to make a decision on the judge's statements regarding the current president, some of his current and former colleagues, and certain administrators and former directors of institutions."

Panic is increasing among political players whose appointments were made by virtue of their ties with Mbeki, as it is exactly those ties that might soon herald their departure from the political scene.

One of the SMSs doing the rounds concludes with the words: "It's time for us to get out of our comfort zones and face reality: We could all be out sooner than we think!"

Political suicide

Various Mbeki supporters say the planned course of action would be to ask him to commit political suicide.

If he resigned, it would save him the embarrassment of being dismissed by Parliament.

A source very close to Mbeki said on Wednesday that the president's character will "prevent him from ever resigning".

It is also said that various premiers and ministers could be asked to stay on in order to contain the damage in the ANC.

Professor Pierre de Vos from the legal faculty at the University of the Western Cape said on Wednesday that Mbeki could stay on as head of state, even if the ANC suspended his membership.

Motion of no confidence

If he doesn't resign, the only other way would be a motion of no confidence from an ordinary majority in Parliament. Various parties, including the DA and ID, have already indicated that they would support such a motion.

In that case Mbete would take over as president until the National Assembly can appoint a new president from among its members.

If this doesn't happen within 30 days, an earlier election should be called.

(Reporting team: Jan-Jan Joubert, Carien du Plessis, Vida Booysen, Pieter du Toit and Cobus Coetzee).

- Beeld