A power struggle within the ANC was behind the Tokyo Sexwale drugs probe, reports Stefaans BrUmmer
GAUTENG Premier Tokyo Sexwale this week refused to bail Deputy President Thabo Mbeki out of his embarrassment over allegations that he had been behind a drugs probe into Sexwale after the 1994 elections.
In the process, Sexwale and National Party leader FW de Klerk emerged unlikely bedfellows in a shared view that Mbeki had initiated an attempt to damage the political career of his own African National Congress colleague.
Claims surfaced in press reports last weekend that in mid-1994 Mbeki had asked De Klerk, who at the time headed a Cabinet committee responsible for intelligence, whether there was any evidence in state files connecting Sexwale to the drugs trade.
In a letter dated August 19 1994, Sexwale wrote to De Klerk questioning the probe. The Sunday Independent published excerpts of a tape recording of a meeting a month later between De Klerk and Sexwale, where De Klerk told Sexwale the probe had not begun with himself — and that “there were long knives out for you” from within the ANC.
Well-placed members of Sexwale’s circle this week confirmed Sexwale refused, after publication of the article, a request from Mbeki to engage in a damage- control exercise.
They said Mbeki had asked Sexwale that they put out a joint statement, pinning the origins of the drugs probe on De Klerk. Sexwale declined.
Instead, Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi, a close ally of Mbeki’s, came to the rescue with a statement saying the drugs probe had originated with a 1994 election speech by De Klerk in which he said he had information on Sexwale that would have him “running all the way to Japan” — and that Mbeki merely wanted to establish whether the speech was a reference to drug allegations.
Sexwale’s liaison officer Sefako Nyaka this week refused to confirm that Sexwale had declined Mbeki’s request. But he did say Sexwale would not take a position. “We are not saying Thabo approached De Klerk, and neither are we saying Thabo did not approach De Klerk.”
Members of Sexwale’s circle claimed the tiff had its origins in the intense jockeying for position within the ANC after the elections — a time when Sexwale was still regarded by many as a serious contender to become future president. They said Sexwale believed the drugs probe had been an attempt by Mbeki to see if it was not possible to rid himself of a competitor.
De Klerk this week confirmed the version as published at the weekend. He said: “It is an untruth that I took any initiative in this connection, or that I approached Deputy President Thabo Mbeki … I was requested by Mr Mbeki to determine whether there was any information on record with reference to such allegations.”
De Klerk also said: “It is untrue that I, as Mr Sydney Mufamadi alleges, linked in any way whatsoever a remark — that Mr Sexwale would move to Tokyo — to such information in my possession … What is indeed true is that I said in Johannesburg on April 16 1994 that if the results in the PWV area were announced … Sexwale would want to move to Tokyo … At that stage I was blissfully unaware of any allegations connecting Mr Sexwale to drug trading …
“The ANC should, rather than blaming me by means of untruths, look for the culprits in their own ranks.”