If President Thabo Mbeki remains ANC president and therefore has the power to appoint his own successor, South Africa after 2009 will be run by his two most-trusted lieutenants, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and government’s head of policy-making, Joel Netshitenzhe.
The strategy emerged in the Mbeki camp after deliberations with Netshitenzhe, who has insisted previously that he is not interested in holding any of the top positions in the party. But now he has been persuaded that the ANC needs him to step up to the plate and help wrest control from presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma.
Referring to the election of Jacob Zuma at the Mafikeng conference in 1997, an Mbeki lobbyist in Gauteng said Netshitenzhe would have beaten Zuma to the position of deputy president had he not stepped out of the race. ‘He is quite popular and very intelligent, but never a man for the limelight,†the lobbyist said.
Netshitenzhe’s nomination as chairperson of the party features on the latest list drawn up by the Mbeki camp, which places Dlamini-Zuma as deputy president after Mbeki.
Mbeki was able to secure the vote of the ANC Women’s League after pledging to keep the position of deputy president open for a female candidate of its choice. The league settled on Dlamini-Zuma. This despite strong objections from the league’s secretary general, Bathabile Dlamini, who is known to be a strong supporter of Jacob Zuma.
Netshitenzhe reportedly agreed to accept the nomination for the position of chairperson. Once Mbeki steps down, as he is constitutionally obliged to do in 2009, Dlamini-Zuma is expected to take over as national president, but Mbeki will remain ANC president. The deputy presidency could then be filled by Netshitenzhe.
An Mbeki supporter said the idea of having Netshitenzhe as president of South Africa was discussed, but dismissed in favour of Dlamini-Zuma. ‘The chief has made it clear that he wants to be succeeded by a woman.â€
The nomination process will conclude with provincial general council meetings in each province shortly before the close of nominations on November 26.
The Mail & Guardian was told that Netshitenzhe had been persuaded by Mbeki supporters to agree to the nomination after initial reluctance.
‘He came to agree that he needs to be part of the equation. You can’t donate the ANC to those individuals who are not interested in unity but only focus on their own ambitions,†the lobbyist said.
Netshitenzhe, who refused to comment on the issue, is said to be concerned about the legacy of the ANC. ‘It’s something they’ve been working on for the past 13 years, it can’t just be left in the hands of others,†an Mbeki aide said.
Netshitenzhe will be contesting the position of ANC chairperson against Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, who has been nominated by the Zuma camp.
Mbeki’s supporters expect the election for chairperson to be a walk-over for Netshitenzhe because Stofile is failing to deliver the Eastern Cape, an Mbeki stronghold. ‘How could you have been chairperson of the province and premier but still not manage to deliver the province? Joel will beat him easily, he [Stofile] is a non-starter,†they said.
The Zuma camp has added Netshitenzhe to its list after a Youth League executive member ‘called them to orderâ€, saying that no national executive committee (NEC) could function without him.
Netshitenzhe has been responsible for most of the ANC policy documents in the past few years, especially its seminal Strategy and Tactics.
By nominating Dlamini-Zuma with public works minister Thoko Didiza as deputy secretary general and Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as treasurer general, the Mbeki camp is preparing for a proposed amendment to the ANC constitution, which insists on gender parity in all leadership structures of the party. Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota is being punted for the position of secretary general.
The Mbeki camp’s nomination list has moved the current secretary general, Kgalema Motlanthe, and his deputy, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, from the top six positions to the top of the NEC list. New additions to the list include housing portfolio committee chairperson Zoe Kota, Gauteng provincial minister for local government Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu and Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, who recently declined nomination for re-election as provincial chairperson.
Embattled Cosatu president Willie Madisha is 13th on the NEC list and the controversial former women’s league president, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, is nominated in 36th place.
Both Western Cape chairperson James Ngculu and provincial premier Ebrahim Rasool have a place on the NEC list. Former Youth League leader, Reuben Mohlaloga, who was kicked out of the league after statements in support of Mbeki, also features on the NEC list.