ANC delays decision on Mbeki
2008-09-16 20:07
Cape Town - A lengthy battle appears to have
been engaged in the top structures of the ANC over whether or not to cut
short Thabo Mbeki's term of office as the country's president.
A meeting of
the National Working Committee - which takes decisions between meetings of
the National Executive - concluded on Monday without any clear outcome.
All that a statement from spokesperson Jessie Duarte would allow
was that the discussion will be continued at the national executive (NEC)
meeting scheduled for this coming weekend.
"The ANC will make any necessary
pronouncements on this matter only after the NEC has discussed and resolved
on it," Duarte said on Tuesday.
She also appealed to all members to respect ANC constitutional
structures, organisational practices and processes. "No person should pre-
empt the deliberations of the NEC," she said.
But her plea fell on wholly deaf ears in the ANC Youth League.
'We'll have Thabo Mbeki removed'
The
president of the league, Julius Malema, said that the majority of NEC
members agree that Mbeki must be removed from office.
"We have approached individual members of the ANC NEC to ensure that the
removal of Thabo Mbeki becomes an ANC NEC resolution this weekend, and the
majority of them are agreeing with us on this issue," Malema told reporters
in Johannesburg.
"This one we won't lose. We'll have Mbeki removed.
"We don't fight to
lose... even now you must sense something. He is going.
"It doesn't
matter who says what. Mbeki will not be president of this country when
we go to elections."
'Dead snake'
ANC president Jacob Zuma suggested on Sunday that the Mbeki government
was a "dead snake" and that it was not necessary to remove him from office
since elections would be held soon.
But Malema said the media put words into Zuma's mouth. "I don't think
we are contradicting the president. He will speak on behalf of the NEC on
Sunday," Malema said.
He also said that Mbeki, Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla, her
predecessor Penuell Maduna and former chief prosecutor Bulelani Ngcuka
should be called before the ANC to explain themselves.
"Mbeki, after being removed, he must still come and explain to the
ANC.
"Mbeki, Maduna, Ngcuka, Brigitte Mabandla, they must come and
explain to the ANC: 'Why do you use the power the ANC has given you
against the ANC and against your own comrades?' " said Malema.