As well as a divisive issue, justifying investigative reporting about it. ("'Sinister plots' are nothing but creative fiction" and "M&G's blatant attempt to divide ANC leadership", April 5).
The lack of unity of action to keep factionalism at bay within the ANC leadership is more of a problem than denying the existence of internal divisions, as Mantashe and Mboweni attempt to do in the M&G. Focusing more on the contestation of power than on exercising discipline through an appropriate stricture to deter factionalism is a ticking time bomb. – Tely Motingoe, Bloemfontein
What are Mantashe and Mboweni complaining about? Try as I might, I cannot see in their responses anything that might besmirch the reputation of the ANC secretary general.
The original piece simply said that one faction within the ANC executive had blocked initiatives proposed by Mantashe. Mboweni objects that this was a committee proposal, not Mantashe's, so maybe the M&G got it wrong, but that still does not tell me why they are so upset.
Perhaps it is just more of the ANC's opaque internal politics, an aspect of our ruling party the general citizenry finds hard to understand. Leaders such as these should explain it if they want voters to vote for them, but on the basis of these "rights of reply", they are simply adding to the confusion. – Miles Seward, Cape Town