The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) elected its 28-member national working committee (NWC) on Monday.
The party said on Tuesday that nothing should be read into President Thabo Mbeki’s absence from Monday’s NEC meeting as interaction between party leaders was not just limited to formal meetings.
The NEC also reaffirmed its support for Zuma as candidate for the presidency of the country in the 2009 elections.
The members of the NWC, announced on Tuesday, are in alphabetical order:
1. Collins Chabane: Former Limpopo minister of economic development and tourism. Hosted ”Breakfast with Collins” — for the business community and the media to share information on economic growth in the province.
2. Bathabile Dlamini: ANC Women’s League member. Spoke out against factionalism and cliques in the league and lambasted the league’s leaders for not fulfilling their official responsibilities.
3. Jessie Duarte: Former high commissioner to Mozambique.
4. Tina Joemat-Pettersson: Minister of agriculture in the Northern Cape. Established the National Institute for Higher Education in the Northern Cape — the first of its kind.
5. Pallo Jordan: Arts and Culture Minister.
6. Ncumisa Kondlo: MP. Exposed pension fraud in Parliament. An active South African Communist Party (SACP) member who questioned public/private-sector partnerships.
7. Fikile Mbalula: ANC Youth League president.
8. Nomaindia Mfeketo: Former Cape Town mayor.
9. Angie Motshekga: Gauteng education minister.
10. Nathi Mthethwa: MP.
11. Maite Nkoane-Mashabane: Minister of local government and housing in
Limpopo.
12. Siphiwe Nyanda: Stepped down as head of the South African National Defence Force in May 2005. He is currently CEO of Ngwane Defence.
13. Blade Nzimande: SACP general secretary.
14. Dina Pule: Mpumalanga agriculture and land administration minister.
15. Jeff Radebe: Transport Minister.
16. Susan Shabangu: Deputy Minister of Safety and Security and member of the ANC’s national disciplinary committee.
17. Lindiwe Sisulu: Housing Minister.
18. Max Sisulu: Group general manager at Sasol and member of the ANC’s national executive council’s economic transformation committee.
19. Makhenkesi Stofile: Sport and Recreation Minister.
20. Tony Yengeni: The former ANC chief whip is currently out on parole after serving a few months’ jail time following his 2003 conviction for defrauding Parliament by failing to disclose a discount on a 4X4 Mercedes-Benz. He is to appear in court on a drunk-driving charge on March 19.
In addition to these 20, the NWC also includes the ANC’s top six officials and one representative each from the ANC Women’s League and Youth League.
ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who was elected to the top of the NEC list, did not make it on to the NWC.
The NWC meets twice a month and plays a more active role in the daily running of the party. It deals with matters requiring ”urgent attention”, according to ANC spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso.
Arms deal
Also announced on Tuesday were the eight ANC members who will form part of the ad hoc committee to draw up a report on the arms deal.
ANC president Jacob Zuma faces trial in August on charges related to alleged corruption in South Africa’s multibillion-rand arms deal. He is being charged alongside French arms company Thint.
”We are not asking for the reopening of the arms deal. We need to get a detailed formal report … to take informed decisions on what to do and locate this case and the charges against the president,” party secretary general Gwede Mantashe told journalists. ”We have a duty to get information on the arms deal from all sources, particularly official sources.”
The report will not be made public. The NEC wants the report because ”we don’t want to do thumb-sucking”, said Mantashe.
ANC treasurer general Mathews Phosa said the committee will help the NEC understand the arms deal ”on a much more informed basis”.
The committee will ”look at the practical form the support for the ANC president will take and consider the broader context within which the case against him is taking place”. The members are:
1. Kgalema Motlanthe: ANC deputy president.
2. Mathews Phosa
3. Jeremy Cronin: SACP deputy general secretary.
4. Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele: Former ANC deputy general secretary.
5. Siphiwe Nyanda
6. Naledi Pandor: Education Minister.
7. Cyril Ramaphosa: Businessman.
8. Lindiwe Sisulu: Housing Minister.
— Sapa