Jaspreet Kindra The tensions within the tripartite alliance are increasingly being blamed on President Thabo Mbeki, who is perceived by other alliance leaders as having systematically cut them off from debate on economic policy. Notwithstanding this view, expressed by several senior members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu)and the South African Communist Party, the left wing of the alliance this week embarked on a major damage- limitation exercise to paper over recently aired divisions. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union last week threatened to withdraw support from African National Congress councillors espousing privatisation, while branches of the National Union of Metalworkers have questioned whether the ANC should continue leading the alliance. Both unions this week sought to retract their attacks. Senior sources – from the SACP, Cosatu and even the ANC – complained of a lack of access to the leadership, in particular Mbeki. They effectively endorsed SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande’s comments last week that the presidency was largely responsible for the problems in the alliance. Senior members from the left wing of the alliance said the presidency has failed to keep its promise made in December to hold regular briefings with the tripartite secretariat. A senior leader said they were supposed to have been regularly briefed by Mbeki, the Minister in the Office of the President, Essop Pahad, or SACP national chair Charles Nqakula, but this has not happened. The failure to meet is expected to feature high on the agenda of the alliance partners’ crisis meeting to be held on September 11, said Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. The promise was made after Cosatu complained about the lack of consultation on government policy matters. Cosatu’s discussion document for next month’s conference notes: “Between 1996 and 1999 … the government presented major proposals, especially on the economy, as faits accomplis, in some cases with no effective consultation.” To address these concerns, the alliance’s national office bearers last December attempted to establish a political centre to ensure “more constructive and proactive strategies”. They set up a new structure consisting of the secretariat of the alliance and the ANC presidency. ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe told the party’s national general council in Port Elizabeth about communication problems between the government and party. Maverick ANC MP Pallo Jordan this week challenged the Marxist left to devise a strategy to sustain the unity of the alliance “while not suppressing or repressing the actual contradictions within it”. He suggested “defending and fostering the long-standing ANC traditions of open and vigorous debate, while ensuring unity in action” as one dimension of the strategy. But, as senior ANC leaders pointed out, “open and vigorous debate” is increasingly being frowned upon by the presidency. An indicator is the deteriorating relations between the “radical” Vavi and the ANC presidency. Union sources have alleged that the ANC is running a smear campaign against Bheki Ntshalintshali, a candidate for the position of Cosatu deputy general secretary in next month’s election. Ntshalintshali, the national organising secretary in the Cosatu head office, is seen to be close to Vavi. They also claim that the retractions pulled off by Cosatu and its affiliates were done at the insistence of the ANC presidency.