ANC successor a 'party issue'
2005-11-24 14:57
Johannesburg - The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) has denied ever saying it wanted Jacob Zuma to be the next president of the African National Congress.
"It's a figment of the imagination," Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday.
"At no stage did we say we want Zuma or someone else to be the leader of the ANC."
He said the ANC was an independent organisation and it was for the party to decide who its next leader would be.
Cosatu members, many of them also belonging to the ANC, would participate in this debate at the party's branches.
"We would take exception if the ANC at its NEC (national executive committee) said who should be the president of Cosatu."
He blamed the impression that Cosatu supported Zuma for president on the media and analysts.
There were individuals within the federation who had their own opinions about the matter.
Vavi was responding to a question on whether Cosatu believed that an alternative to Zuma and President Thabo Mbeki should be found to lead the ANC when it appoints its new president in 2007.
'Separate issues'
Cosatu's central executive committee (CEC) met this week where it discussed a range of issues including rape allegations against Zuma.
The federation repeated that it would only comment on the allegations once there were concrete facts.
"If and when the police confirm a charge of rape will be laid against the deputy president, we will make a statement at the time," Vavi said.
However, Cosatu had not yet been informed that the National Prosecuting Authority had received a docket from the police on the matter.
Vavi said Cosatu would maybe make a statement on the development later.
He said the CEC's views on the allegations thus far were based on the police refusing to deny or confirm the matter.
Cosatu has said it views rape in a very serious light and its position on the matter would be informed by this.
The CEC unanimously reaffirmed a decision by Cosatu's central committee in August regarding corruption charges against Zuma and a political conspiracy against him.
It still believed there was a conspiracy against Zuma to end his political career and he was unlikely to receive a fair trial.
Vavi said the corruption and rape allegations were separate issues.
He repeated that Cosatu felt so strongly about the corruption matter because Zuma, as a South African, had the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and this had not been the case.
Even if Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon had been treated in the same manner as Zuma, Cosatu would have supported him, Vavi said.
The CEC welcomed the ANC's recent NEC meeting and statement, which focused on a number of issues including the rape allegations and the political conspiracy.
"We regard the NEC discussion and pronouncement as progress, particularly the fact that the ANC is finally taking political conspiracy to provide leadership," Vavi said.
Cosatu would approach the tripartite alliance - ANC, Cosatu and SA Communist Party - for a meeting to discuss statement.
- SAPA