The secretariat of the tripartite alliance has appealed to the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party to put aside their differences after a public spat, it said on Wednesday.
”We call upon all those involved to stop, as a continuation of this will hamper the capacity of the alliance to provide effective leadership to society and our members,” the various parties said in a joint statement.
This followed a special meeting by the secretariat held at the head office of alliance member, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, on Wednesday.
The battle broke out when President Thabo Mbeki called SACP leader Blade Nzimande ”arrogant” during his speech to the ANC’s national executive committee meeting over the weekend.
Mbeki said an attack by Nzimande on his leadership and the African National Congress amounted to serious ”provocation”.
The Young Communist League later joined in, calling Mbeki a dictator.
”The alliance secretariat considered the recent public spats arising out of what was essentially an internal debate of and within the ANC NEC. The secretariat was dismayed at recent deliberate leakages of internal discussions within the alliance to the media, saying they were meant to create divisions and disharmony in the movement.
”Furthermore these leaks do not reflect the true and correct deliberations and positions of the movement as they are constantly distorted with perceptions, untruths and sometimes even blatant gossips and lies.”
The secretariat said it regretted that Mbeki’s notes had been distributed to the media. An NEC statement released to the media apparently covered all key issues and resolutions arising from discussions at the NEC.
A meeting of the alliance would be urgently convened to address pertinent issues, it said in the statement. – Sapa