An amalgam of Cabinet ministers, provincial leaders and ex-political prisoners is said to form the bulk of the group lobbying for businessman Tokyo Sexwale to take the Union Buildings in 2009. But other senior party leaders have lambasted his pronouncement that he would accept a presidential nomination.
The Mail & Guardian has learnt from sources close to Sexwale that ‘a group of activists†from the Cabinet, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and among ex-Robben Island prisoners are driving his campaign.
They say this group includes Gauteng Finance Minister Paul Mashatile, Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, former Nelson Mandela metropolitan Mayor Nceba Faku, businessman and former ANC activist in the Eastern Cape Mpumi Gaba and businessman and ANC national executive committee member Popo Molefe.
The M&G was told by two sources that Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan and Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula had also recently met with Sexwale to discuss his presidential bid, but the M&G was unable to confirm this before going to press.
In January this year the Sunday Times reported that Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad, Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya and Jordan had asked Sexwale to make himself available for the party’s presidency. However, both ministers denied the reports.
It is further understood that Peter-Paul Ngwenya, businessman and executive chairperson of the Makana Investment Corporation, the investment wing of the Makana Trust, which financially supports ex-political prisoners, is spearheading support for Sexwale by this interest group.
Sexwale was incarcerated on Robben Island in 1977 for 13 years for his anti-apartheid activism.
The M&G understands that there are two groups of people lobbying for Sexwale. The first believes that he espouses the ANC value system as represented by former president Nelson Mandela. The second group is perceived by those close to Sexwale as opportunists keen to ensure a place in his Cabinet should he be elected.
‘Robust discussion
The M&G understands that Ngwenya recently held a party at his home in Gauteng to commemorate the 15th anniversary of his own release from Robben Island. According to two people who attended the party, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe (also an ex-Robben Island prisoner), Molefe and Sexwale held a ‘robust discussion†about Sexwale’s presidential ambitions, and the two men gave Sexwale their backing.
The M&G contacted but did not receive comment in time from all the leaders who are said to be supporting Sexwale.
Sexwale first confirmed that he would stand for president if nominated in an interview this week with the BBC programme Hard Talk. In subsequent interviews he confirmed that he had been approached by people within the ANC who want to nominate him.
The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and Cosatu immediately poured scorn on his pronouncement. Zwelinzima Vavi, Cosatu general-secretary, said Sexwale was out of touch with the ANC’s mass base.
Fikile Mbalula, ANC Youth League president, said: ‘You’ve got to wait for the people to basically say they want you and then you respond to the call by the people. So, you don’t stand in the pulpit and shout ‘I like a reverend or a pastor.â€
ANC Secretary General Kgalema Motlanthe, also an unofficial candidate for the presidency, is known to be anti-Sexwale. He recently said, referring to Sexwale’s stint at The Apprentice, a reality television programme aired on SABC 3: ‘People are under the impression that their faces will be remembered if they build a profile through the media and television.â€
Party leaders who spoke to the M&G this week said Sexwale’s biggest weakness is that he doesn’t have an established support base. He controlled the influential Gauteng province when he was premier but quit in 1998 to start his company, Mvelaphanda. He has since lost that constituency to current incumbent Shilowa. The M&G has, however, been told that Shilowa has held discussions with Sexwale in which he indicated that he would deliver his support base in exchange for a place as Sexwale’s deputy, should he be elected.
It is generally accepted that any candidate hoping to launch a successful presidential bid should have the support of at least one of the three most powerful provinces — KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng or the Eastern Cape. KwaZulu-Natal has thrown its weight behind ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, and the Eastern Cape’s backing of a third term for Mbeki as ANC president indicates that it will likely back a pro-Mbeki candidate for the presidency of the country.
Exit strategy
Another ANC leader close to the process said there ‘had been a couple of flags raised in Sexwale’s direction from Zuma’s people as an exit strategy should Zuma fall out of the raceâ€.
Sexwale relies heavily on the support of ANC elders like former president Nelson Mandela, but it remains to be seen how much influence he’ll wield in the ANC succession battle.
Sexwale is the first presidential possibility to emerge publicly as an alternative to Mbeki and Zuma. Earlier this year unconfirmed rumours circulated that Sexwale had met with Zuma to discuss Sexwale’s bid, however, Zuma supporters have said that Sexwale was not an alternative to Zuma should he drop out of the race because of the fraud and corruption charges he faces. There is also no love lost between Sexwale and Mbeki. Sexwale was one of three people mentioned in plot allegations Mbeki levelled against opponents early in his bid for the presidency.
It is, however, equally well known that there are large sections of the ANC seeking an alternative presidential candidate to both Zuma and Mbeki, whom they blame for dividing the party. ‘We need someone who can save the party,†said an NEC member this week. ‘That person might be Tokyo.â€
‘Season of rumours’
Sexwale’s spokesperson Chris Vick said on Friday that the M&G‘s article was ”nonsense”.
He said the report placed people under pressure to deny things which had never happened.
”None of the people named even need to respond; it is obvious the story is nonsense, and confirms our view that we are in a season of rumours.”
Vick said the report would not deter the nomination processes of the ANC in the run-up to its December conference.