Mbeki fights on
2008-09-19 08:24
Cape Town - Top leaders in the ANC still agree that President Thabo Mbeki should complete his term, but the pressure to get rid of him increased on Thursday.
The party's national executive committee (NEC) will be meeting in Kempton Park on Friday, and the consequences of Judge Chris Nicholson's ruling regarding Mbeki's political interference in the Jacob Zuma case is on the agenda.
Mbeki was described on Thursday as a "chess master that will fight to the end" and one who still has some options left.
It would seem that his opponents may have overplayed their hand and unleashed a backlash.
Dead snake
Julius Malema, leader of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), said: "Fine, we are leaving this dead snake, but we must bury it, it is dead now... we are no longer beating it and we are burying this snake this weekend".
He added that the ANCYL had already convinced the majority of NEC members that Mbeki should go.
Malema threatened that any ANC leaders opposing Mbeki's dismissal would be suspended.
Indications were still that the ANC's national working committee would recommend to the NEC that Mbeki should step down, although there were still conflicting opinions.
Impact on the ANC, country
A Cabinet member serving on the NEC said most, or maybe even all six of the ANC's top leaders, agreed that Mbeki should serve his full term.
"We should not only consider the impact of an early exit by Mbeki on the ANC, but on the country as a whole, with regard to service delivery, the world economy and international relations."
He also said there was no truth in the rumour that Cabinet was preparing for an early resignation. On Thursday a special Cabinet meeting was held after ministers were told of the meeting only the previous evening.
At the meeting, Cabinet received a submission from Mbeki's legal advisers. "Mbeki spoke right at the end, and then only to summarise what the advisors had said."
Apparently Zuma called Mbeki in on Wednesday evening, something that at
this stage is still being denied.
Appeal
On Thursday morning, Cabinet decided to investigate the possibility of an appeal against the Nicholson ruling.
It was also decided that Cabinet members would not allow themselves to be affected by these events, and would continue with their work.
Another Cabinet member and member of the NEC said that he hadn't got the impression during the Cabinet meeting that Mbeki was preparing to resign.
Cabinet spokesperson Themba Maseko told the parliamentary press corps that Cabinet members were "deployed cadres", with the assumption that they could be withdrawn by the ANC.
Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga did not want to predict Mbeki's actions should the ANC demand his resignation.
The ANC cannot legally force Mbeki to resign because when he was elected president, he ceased to be a Member of Parliament. He can only be dismissed through a motion of no confidence by Parliament.
(Reporting team: Carien du Plessis, Jan-Jan Joubert, Pieter du Toit, Philda Essop and Rajaa Azzakani)