African National Congress (ANC) veteran Mosiuoa Lekota, who has announced the possibility of a breakaway political party, did not show up for a meeting with ANC leaders on Thursday.
”The ANC delegation led by the treasurer general, Mathews Phosa, waited from 10am for a pre-arranged meeting with comrade Terror Lekota,” said Jessie Duarte.
”This meeting was confirmed telephonically and comrade Lekota undertook to attend.
”The ANC wishes to place on record that Mr Lekota failed to come to the meeting and did not notify the ANC about his unavailability,” added Duarte.
Lekota, the former minister of defence who resigned alongside ousted former president Thabo Mbeki, on Wednesday announced that he may form a new party.
He criticised the leadership of the ANC elected at Polokwane in December, saying ANC president Jacob Zuma was leading the party ”away from its principles”.
Lekota said he was giving notice of his ”divorce” from the ANC.
But Phosa responded and said he would meet with him on Thursday to try to resolve the differences.
”We are in the middle of the process of consultation … because a process based on anger and emotions is not part of our agenda,” Phosa said on Wednesday.
This is the latest development in reports of a split in the ruling party, sparked by Mbeki’s removal from office by the national executive committee of the ANC.
Some Cabinet ministers and former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa have since resigned out of loyalty to Mbeki.
Lekota implied that a new political party would soon be formed, but stopped short of announcing it, instead saying a decision would be made at a national convention within the next four weeks.
Mixed reaction
Political parties on Wednesday showed mixed reaction to Lekota’s statements.
They were dismissed by the Congress of South African Trade Unions as a publicity stunt aimed at drumming up support for a new party.
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille welcomed ”Lekota’s sharp criticism of Jacob Zuma’s ANC and his call for a national debate to discuss the future of our constitutional democracy”.
”The disintegration of the ANC has begun, heralding an exciting new era in South Africa. We have long championed the realignment of politics, which is now clearly under way,” added Zille.
The South African Communist Party said a new movement by Lekota would fail.
”This is nothing but a coalition of the ill-disciplined who cannot accept democratic processes inside the country … the party is not going to last,” said secretary general Blade Nzimande.
”They are continuing what they failed to do inside the ANC.”
The Inkatha Freedom Party said the latest development showed a lack of good leadership within the ANC, while the Independent Democrats said it was not surprised at Lekota’s statements.
The Freedom Front Plus said a new party would be ”good for democracy”. United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, a former ANC member, agreed.
”Hopefully Terror [Lekota] will succeed in whatever he is trying to do. If he were to target at least 30% or 25% of voters, that would be good,” said Holomisa.
The Young Communist League (YCL) said Lekota’s statements on a split in the ANC are ”a joke” and ”a farce”.
”The Young Communist League notes the cowardly media briefing convened by political mercenaries and aprons of the naked emperor, Terror Lekota and Mluleki George,” the league said in a statement. — Sapa