The African National Congress’ national executive committee (NEC) is meeting for a third day at Esselen Park, east of Johannesburg, a party spokesperson said on Sunday morning.
It was scheduled to meet only on Friday and Saturday.
ANC spokesperson Steyn Speed would not comment on why the NEC was meeting for a third day.
The NEC was due to receive and discuss a report on ways to heal the rifts in the party.
The party’s national working committee (NWC) on Monday approved the report, authored by President Thabo Mbeki and axed deputy president Jacob Zuma.
Tensions have arisen in the ANC from accusations by Zuma supporters that he is the victim of a campaign to prevent him from succeeding Mbeki as president.
This, following his dismissal earlier in the year, and charges brought against him after the corruption and fraud conviction of his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik.
The NWC said the report it discussed at Monday’s meeting captured the substance of interactions between the president and deputy president of the party over the last two months.
The NEC mandated Mbeki and Zuma to draft the report on September 9.
It is not clear whether the NEC was discussing what action to take over an alleged rape charge against Zuma.
The Sunday Times and Sunday Independent reported that apparent confirmation of the charge has polarised the meeting and widened the gap between the Zuma and Mbeki camps.
Citing two unnamed sources, The Sunday Independent reported that police took blood samples from Zuma for DNA testing this week.
However, the Sunday Times reported that the police were reluctant to approach Zuma for a sample until DNA tests had been done on semen found on the woman’s underwear.
The police have steadfastly refused to confirm whether they are investigating a charge against Zuma, even though the Beeld newspaper claimed on Saturday the case number was 312/11/2005.
The South Africna Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday that Johannesburg police had confirmed that this case number involved a rape allegation, but would not elaborate.
Speaking to the South African Press Association on Saturday, national police spokesperson Director Sally De Beer would not say anything about the case
number.
”We are not going to confirm this case number. I cannot speculate on where the Beeld got the case number from,” De Beer said.
According to Beeld, the complainant is a 31-year-old, HIV-positive Aids activist who regards Zuma as a father figure.
A unidentified police officer confirmed to the newspaper that police were investigating a charge laid on November 4 at the Hillbrow police station, a day after the alleged offence at Zuma’s house in Forest Town, Johannesburg.
It had furthermore learnt that the woman, who contracted HIV after being raped some years ago, had a nervous breakdown after news of the new rape allegation was published and had considered withdrawing the charge. She is now in a police protection programme.
Zuma’s supporters have dismissed the rape allegation — which surfaced in the Sunday Times last week — as part of the smear campaign it believes is being waged against Zuma. – Sapa