How does the ANC react to Cosatu’s demands for the dropping of corruption charges against Jacob Zuma and his reinstatement as deputy president?
We have said those demands are not implementable. Cosatu says that the trial is part of a conspiracy in the ANC to stop him becoming president …
We’ve said there’s nothing like that. We added that if people have any evidence, let us establish a commission of inquiry to expose that.
Why did Thabo Mbeki publicise his call for an inquiry? Is the South African Communist Party not correct in saying this should have been handled internally in the alliance?
There was no statement from the alliance that the ANC letter should be kept confidential. The letter was published precisely because we wanted the public to know what was discussed. Secondly, it is logical for a leader to announce in public his suggestions on how to deal with a matter raised in public. The issue of a conspiracy has been raised and the public has to know that a leader is doing something about it.
Are ANC leaders starting to lose patience with alliance partners and members who continue to harp on Zuma?
No, we are not losing patience at all. We are prepared to engage them.
Mbeki is said to have reached the point where he is preparing to ditch unruly Zuma supporters and press ahead with a smaller ANC that supports him …
The ANC has been quite open about condemning people behaving in an un-ANC fashion. The ANC constitution will deal with members who are misbehaving. The provinces are currently seized with the matter and disciplinary action will be taken where necessary.
Should Zuma ask his supporters to refrain from attacking his successor, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and posturing in other ways in his name?
It is not for us to dictate to comrade Zuma what he should do. We have discussed this matter and agree that these people are out of order. It is the responsibility of all of us to deal with the situation.
Is the ANC president prepared to heed calls not to make himself available for ANC presidency in 2007, as opposition to this appears to be driving Zuma’s supporters?
The ANC has not spoken on this issue and only ANC structures must decide. If the ANC wants him to stand, he will, and if it does not, he won’t stand.
Could the Zuma issue split the ANC? How serious is the rebellion in KwaZulu-Natal, for example?
We don’t foresee any split in the ANC. It has been through bigger challenges before and the challenge is how we manage those contradictions. We think we are on top of the situation.
The South African Communist Party has called for Mbeki’s proposed inquiry to include ANC attacks on “ultra leftists” in the alliance. The ANC’s reaction?
No — the issue has been the political conspiracy around the deputy president and our letter responds to that.
We can deal with all other issues at the level of the alliance. Let us not conflate matters over a simple matter that has been raised — political conspiracy. We must clean up this issue and deal with the ultra-left question in other forums.
What do you think of the Scorpions’s conduct in raiding Zuma and his lawyer?
We have said their conduct was unfortunate. As an alliance we have gone further to say the high-handed manner in which the raids were carried out was unacceptable. We are not opposed to search and seizure operations. But they went there with big guns, wearing balaclavas, to search the residence of an ANC deputy president. This undermined his dignity.