Belinda Beresford The presidential security establishment has grown concerned about Thabo Mbeki’s alleged philandering, veteran journalist Max du Preez said this week.
Du Preez, who has incurred the wrath of the African National Congress for saying on national radio this week that Mbeki is a “womaniser”, said in an interview on Wednesday: “This issue has been discussed, it is the hot topic of gossip in black high society, [among] the political elite, journalists know about it, his whole security establishment knows and talks about it and is concerned about it.” Du Preez accused the ANC of a “hysterical overreaction” to his comments, saying it reinforced suspicions of a power struggle within the leadership of the ruling party. Du Preez said on SAfm’s The Editors programme on Sunday: “It is publicly known and I think we should start talking about this that the president has this kind of personal life. I’m not saying it’s scandalous. He’s a womaniser.”
The comment was made during a discussion about the leaked letter written by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to Deputy President Jacob Zuma in which she denied talking about the president’s alleged indiscretions. The discussion was triggered by a surprise statement issued the previous week by Zuma pledging his loyalty to Mbeki. Du Preez said the issue of Mbeki’s womanising was important because it could “influence his job as head of state”. Openness was part of a democratic society, he said. In France, for example, former president Franois Mitterrand’s extra-marital activities were widely known. In a strongly worded statement the ANC hit back at Du Preez’s comments made on Sunday, accusing him of racism. ANC national representative Smuts Ngonyama said: “Max du Preez and his ‘old friends’ have clearly embarked on a war path and such statements on the ANC are a declaration of war.” Du Preez said such an accusa-tion by Ngonyama “is completely ridiculous. “I think the ANC’s reaction to it shows that it’s a much bigger issue than I thought it was … I ask myself why this complete and utter overreaction. I think this is far more than a private affair and a private lifestyle. I think it is clear that Thabo Mbeki is in trouble with his party. We saw with Winnie’s letter there is a serious threat that someone will go for the leadership of the party next year.” Du Preez refused to name the women thought to have been involved with the president. “I’m not going to start naming people. That would slip into the seedy side.” At the time of going to press the Mail & Guardian was awaiting comment from the presidency on Du Preez’s statement that Mbeki’s alleged womanising had security implications.