Senior African National Congress (ANC) official Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele has rejected assertions that President Thabo has become like an ”absent father”.
Speaking on SAfm’s After Eight Debate on Thursday, she also defended his silence on an apparent rift between him and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma.
Some callers to the show complained of Mbeki’s absence and silence on apparent party divisions in his party, labelling him an ”absent father”.
Mthembi-Mahanyele, deputy secretary general of the ANC, said anyone who called the president an absent father was ignorant. It was good thing that the president had not commented so far.
She said the ANC was an organisation bound by rules and regulations. There were procedures to be followed in dealing with issues relating to the ANC.
Jumping for the microphone on stage and being on TV expressing personal views would only cause a confused nation, Mthembi-Mahanyele said.
She said perceived divisions in the ANC could as well be seen as varying approaches to problems in the party.
City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu, also a guest on the show, said Mbeki needed to comment on the rift between him and Zuma. Mbeki should at least explain his silence on the matter, said Tsedu.
Defending Mbeki, Mthembi-Mahanyele said he had made South Africa a shining example to the world.
”For the first time in the history of this country, the world looks upon South Africa to come forward in terms of addressing certain issues that other countries have failed to resolve,” she said.
”Africa has a better image now because of the role that South Africa is playing.”
Tsedu said although Mbeki had managed to handle conflicts on the continent, he appeared to have difficulty doing so within his own party.
Mbeki was easily outmanoeuvred by the ”Jacob Zuma camp” when it came to public relations, said Tsedu.
Prince Mashele, from the Institute for Security Studies, called in to say the upheaval in the ANC should remain a problem for the party, and not for the government. Should Mbeki speak out, further divisions could follow.
Tsedu disagreed, saying said Mbeki had an obligation ”to speak to us”.
He said the problems within the ANC transcended the ANC boundaries and were causing a psychosis among people, making them ask ”what now?”.
It also affected the business of government.
”I want to hear him say he is in charge. The silence can’t be saying ‘I’m in charge’,” said Tsedu. — Sapa