Party intellectual Pallo Jordan has made his most public call yet on both President Thabo Mbeki and the party’s deputy president Jacob Zuma not to contest the top job. He says the party needs fresh minds to lead it in the 21st century.
In an interview with the Mail & Guardian this week, Jordan argued that Mbeki has effectively been leader of the movement and the government for 15 years. It was now time for him to give the younger geneÂration a chance to lead the party.
However, Jordan denied being a member of a group of senior ANC leaders rumoured to be actively campaigning for a compromise candidate to take the reins at the party’s conference in Polokwane next month.
The M&G was told this week by a source at Luthuli House that he is among a number of ANC veterans who, concerned about the damage inflicted on the party by the succession race, are working behind the scenes to ensure that neither Jacob Zuma nor Thabo Mbeki stands for the presidency. The group is said to have approached the party secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe to drive the process.
It apparently suggested businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as a suitable candidate for the top job.
The M&G was told that the group has approached the Mbeki and Zuma camps, but that key lobbyists for both leaders remain opposed to the idea of a compromise candidate.
This is the umpteenth time the compromise proposal has been raised. Supporters of another businessman, Tokyo Sexwale, have also touted him as “the third way” — seemingly with little success.
According to ANC sources at its national office, the ANC seniors (older leaders in the national executive committee) have raised serious concerns about Zuma’s reputation, dented by allegations of fraud and corruption and last week’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruling in favour of the Scorpions raids on Zuma and his associates two years ago.
The veterans also apparently believe that Mbeki should make way for a new leader with fresh ideas.
Sources close to Mbeki say he would do everything in his power to prevent Zuma from taking over as the ANC and South Africa’s leader because he does not believe Zuma can run the country.
Although Jordan said he would prefer not to say who he favoured as the ANC’s next leader, he maintained that it should not be Mbeki or Zuma.
“We need fresh minds in the house. Whether you prefer to call that compromise candidates is entirely up to you.”
Jordan said Mbeki has been running the government since the second or third year of Nelson ManÂdela’s presidency. “It is not desirable for one president to lead, especially in a young democracy like ours, for such a long time.”
He referred to a resolution passed at the ANC policy conference in June this year, saying it was preferable for the ANC president to lead the country.
“What that means is that the ANC would not prefer Mbeki to continue as president of the ANC. That is the view of the majority,” Jordan said.
Regarding Zuma, he said: “I think all the things around JZ put him in a very awkward position to be the leader of the ANC.
“At the moment, there is a high degree of polarisation around them [Mbeki and Zuma]. This would pose a difficult question if one of them is elected: will the polarisation desist or will it become entrenched?”
Mbeki supporters have opposed the idea of a compromise candidate, believing he can lead the ANC for another term.
Said an Mbeki lobbyist: “We are aware of the discussion about a compromise candidate, but we have not discussed it. We are guided by the branches of the ANC, and they are not talking about a compromise candidate.
“What makes a compromise candidate unique? There is no neutral leader in the ANC. Even those who present themselves as disciplined members are not independent. What is new that they can bring to the organisation?”
The lobbyist pointed out that RamaÂphosa was a member of the ANC’s national executive committee “when these divisions occurred”. He added: “To say to Zuma or Mbeki that they should not stand, you will deny them their constitutional rights.”
Former Limpopo premier and national executive committee member Ngoako Ramathlodi argued that the idea of a compromise candidate would be tantamount to sabotaging the ANC’s democratic processes.
“Why do people want to intervene in the democratic process of the movement? We can’t have a situation where ANC leaders are elected behind closed doors. Let the best candidate win.”
Also opposed to the compromise candidate idea was ANC Youth League president Fikile Mbalula, a staunch Zuma supporter, who said: “We don’t believe that the ANC needs a compromise candidate. If the ANC veterans have the interest of the party at heart, they should have tried to stop this onslaught on Zuma.
“There is no leader who is perfect in the ANC. We can’t allow a situation where the law only applies to some and not to others.”
Mbalula said Mbeki did not want to retain his presidential position out of principle, but to serve his own personal interests.
ANC head of presidency Smuts Ngonyama said he is not aware of any discussion about a compromise candidate. Motlanthe was not available for comment.