South Africa held it’s breath on Wednesday ahead of the announcement by President Thabo Mbeki of his new deputy.
Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel and Minister of Minerals and Energy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka have emerged as the frontrunners for the post.
Bheki Khumalo, Mbeki’s spokesperson, said on Tuesday that Mbeki will announce changes to his Cabinet after meeting his ministers in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said Mbeki would make a ”relevant announcement” with regard to changes in his Cabinet.
When asked if the announcement would include that of a new deputy president, Khumalo said: ”I assume it will.”
Last week Mbeki sacked his deputy, Jacob Zuma. Zuma will appear in court on two corruption charges next Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday.
”Deputy president Jacob Zuma will appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court next Wednesday at 9am,” NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said.
The charges followed a finding by the Durban High Court of a ”generally corrupt” relationship between Zuma and his friend and financial adviser Schabir Shaik, during Shaik’s fraud and corruption trial.
Shaik was sentenced in effect to 15 years in prison.
Zuma was then relieved of his position as deputy president by Mbeki in a special sitting of Parliament.
A survey by polling company Markinor revealed that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota are among top potential presidential candidates, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Tuesday.
ANC stronger than ever
Meanwhile, the ANC will go to its national general council meeting (NGC) stronger than ever, ANC deputy general secretary Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele said on Wednesday.
Mahanyela was speaking to reporters at the party’s Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
She was responding to questions whether recent events such as the sacking of former deputy president Jacob Zuma and events at the June 16 celebrations in Mpumalanga indicated there are divisions within the party.
”In Mpumalanga that was a little group from a particular area. That group does not represent the whole province,” Mahanyela said.
She said the ANC had no anxiety that the disruptions that marked the Mpumalanga Youth Day celebrations would occur in Pretoria where the NGC would be held.
Mahanyela said party members in all formations understood the rationale behind President Thabo Mbeki’s decision to ”release” Zuma from his responsibilities.
Asked whether Zuma would attend the council, ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonayama said he had not received any confirmation.
The NGC will take place at the University of Pretoria in Tshwane from June 29 to July 3 with the theme ”A People’s Contract to Advance the Vision of the Freedom Charter.” – Sapa