OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday
AFRICAN National Congress Women’s League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on Monday broke her silence on her sensational letter to Deputy President Jacob Zuma, saying she had used the appropriate ANC internal channels to air her grievances.
She was reacting to statements by unnamed ANC insiders quoted in The Citizen newspaper that she was facing disciplinary action. The matter would also be discussed at the ANC’s four-day national executive meeting later this week, the newspaper said.
However, this was denied on Monday by ANC representative Smuts Ngonyama.
The Sunday Times this weekend published Madikizela-Mandela’s letter to Zuma in which she asks the deputy president to intervene to repair her relationship with President Thabo Mbeki.
Madikizela-Mandela, who was rarely seen in Parliament last year, complains angrily that Mbeki lambasted her at a top ANC meeting in Durban where he accused her of spreading malicious rumours about his “personal life”.
It is understood national police commissioner Jackie Selebi in his personal capacity approached the newspaper to express concern about the possible damage publication of the rumours might cause the president.
Madikizela-Mandela accused the president of “grievously maligning” her and claimed ANC leaders were systematically persecuting her.
In a statement through her private secretary, Alan Reynolds, Madikizela-Mandela said she had at all times pursued the matter through the appropriate internal channels.
Press speculation about disciplinary action was therefore unfounded as she had not committed any breach of ANC policy in pursuing this issue.
On whether she would attend this week’s NEC meeting, Madikizela-Mandela referred the matter to Zuma.
Ngonyama said there were no moves to discipline Madikizela-Mandela as reported. Nor would the matter feature on the NEC’s agenda this week.
Ngonyama said no one in the ANC was aware of the letter, which was written in May. Zuma had apparently not raised it with the leadership.
The deputy president would deal with the matter once her returned from his trip to Ghana, Ngonyama said.
Supporters of Madikizela-Mandela say she has refused to become involved in party activities until the matter is resolved.
This was one of the reasons why she failed to visibly campaign for the ANC during the December local government elections.
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