'Settle ANC presidential terms'

2008-02-01 07:34

Johannesburg - The number of terms an African National Congress president can run should be settled "once and for all", said party head Jacob Zuma on Thursday.

Zuma, speaking at an ANC Youth League national executive committee lekgotla in Vanderbijlpark, said the situation at the ANC national conference in Polokwane last month, where President Thabo Mbeki tried to stand for a third term, raised a principle that still needed resolution.

"Do we leave the situation to chance in terms of the ANC itself (that a third term for ANC president is possible)?"

"One day, if some other energetic president emerges who could feel 'Look, I'd want to stay again', and then comes back (should they be allowed to)?," asked Zuma.

"It's a challenge we need to deal with going forward, to settle it once and for all, so it does not raise an artificial problem in the movement."

Zuma said new and unexpected issues had emerged at the ANC's national conference at the end of last year.

Exercised his democratic right

"In democracy, the first president, Madiba, was not young and he did not stay for two terms... Everything was smooth.

"We all agreed about what was to happen in terms of policy and in terms of leadership.

"Then the next president (Thabo Mbeki) who followed Mandela was to bow out... (but) he was not very old, still had energy and everything and felt he still had to play a role in the leadership of the organisation.

"Exercising his democratic right (he decided to stand for a third term as ANC president), there is nothing wrong with that."

Zuma said what happened in the ANC subsequently when Mbeki and he both stood for ANC president was not a fight.

"Some people say there was a fight in the ANC and, of course, assisted by our friends here in the media who don't understand the ANC, who do not, in fact, understand the vibrancy of democracy.

"If there are democratic processes they think there is a fight," he said.

"It was not a question of personality, but of principle which people failed to appreciate."

'The ANC has moved on'

He said there had been other times in the ANC when differences had arisen and had been resolved.

"When the ANC declared its armed struggle, some people did not agree with it. They were very glued to non-violent means of the struggle... but the ANC moved on.

"It's critical as a culture, once you have agreed you have agreed, even if you differed before.

"Once the decision has been taken by the majority, the culture says that is your decision, you will defend it, you will implement it.

Zuma said the main work of the organisation was to ensure its unity.

"Some of us in the government and those outside of the government must work together smoothly.

"There are no two centres of power because the government is the government of the ANC."

"There is no ANC with its leadership in government... There is the ANC with one leadership. In fact, it would be a strange thing for the ANC to have a problem with this government, it can't happen."

Dressed in a grey suit, striped shirt and tie, Zuma arrived at the lekgotla to the singing of the youth league's NEC members.

'We have been unique'

In assessing the ANC's performance since 1994, Zuma said he thought the organisation might be the best in the world.

The ANC since 1994, when it took over government, entered a new terrain.

"I think we have done very well.

"There is no organisation that can compare to us in the country, in the continent, probably in the world.

"Globally, we have been unique," he said.

- SAPA