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ANC on verge of split, Mbeki allies go

Johannesburg: South Africa’s ruling African National Congress is on the brink of splitting after senior allies of the toppled President, Thabo Mbeki, has said they are “serving divorce papers” on the new party leadership under Jacob Zuma because it had abandoned the movement’s founding principles and put “our national democracy in danger”.

Mosiuoa Lekota, a former political prisoner and party chairman who quit as Defence Minister when Mr. Mbeki was forced out as President last month, said he and other disillusioned officials planned to canvass for support within the ANC in a process that seems to be “leading logically” to the creation of a new political party to run in next year’s general election. “This is probably the parting of the ways,” said Mr. Lekota.

Mr. Lekota accused the new leadership of hijacking the ANC and “eliminating our internal democracy” in order to make Zuma the ruling party’s candidate at the election and to stop him facing trial on corruption charges.

“These elements who are not committed to these principles of the ANC may well decorate themselves with the name ANC but they are not ANC ... The current leadership have shown they are not ANC,” he said.

He was flanked by the former deputy defence minister, Mluleki George, but is not clear how many senior officials he can carry with him, though he said there are significant numbers of rank and file members who oppose the existing leadership.

Mr. Lekota’s influence was severely undermined after he failed to assert control as chairman of the party conference that saw Mr. Mbeki deposed as ANC leader last year.

The ANC leadership quickly derided Mr. Lekota’s move, accusing him and his supporters of being bitter at losing control of the party. ANC spokeswoman Jesse Duarte said the dissidents were “launching a stillborn organisation” because they had no future in the party.

“They were never willing to accept the will of the members of the ANC and they have therefore pursued other avenues to advance their careers,” she said.

Mr. Zuma warned ANC members that they did not have a blank cheque to destabilise the party.

While any new political party will face a formidable challenge to take significant support from the ANC, despite growing disillusionment among ordinary voters, the bitterness of Mr. Lekota’s attack on Mr. Zuma and his allies reflects the deep schisms that could see other factions break away, particularly on the left over economic policy.

“There has been elevated to national importance interests of individuals rather than the interests of our country,” said Mr. Lekota.

He accused the new party leadership of betraying the ANC’s Freedom Charter, which formed the basis of the liberation struggle, by demanding that there be a “political solution” to prevent Mr. Zuma facing trial for corruption which could see him sent to prison for years.

“South Africans are getting arrested from time to time. They have to appear before the courts and they have to bring evidence to prove that they are innocent or not. Now we are saying, no, in a particular case — of the state versus the president of the ANC — there must be a political solution. What has happened to the clause in the Freedom Charter: all shall be equal before the law?” he said.

Mr. Lekota also said the Zuma camp had introduced tribalism into the party’s internal politics with a campaign projecting Mr. Zuma as “100% Zulu boy” and promoted violence with Mr. Zuma’s trademark song, Bring Me My Machine Gun.

“Leaders of the ANC stand on public platforms singing songs that advocate violence and the collection of weapons. To what end? To promote what policy of the ANC?” he said.

But Mr. Lekota’s accusation that the new ANC leadership is “eliminating internal democracy” with a purge of Mr. Mbeki’s supporters and attacks on Mr. Zuma’s critics will ring hollow among many of Mr. Mbeki’s critics who were hounded with a vicious vilification campaign by the former President’s backers.

Confirming that he has virtually made up his mind to launch a rival party, Mr. Lekota said it would challenge Mr. Zuma at the ballot box. “Of course we have to contest the elections next year ... the people of our country must choose between ourselves and those who have taken a different route,” he said. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2008

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