Though it is not for the first time in the history of the ANC that there is a leadership contest, it is true that we have not seen such a fierce contest in recent history. The ANC is a democratic organisation and this contest is a manifestation of democracy and, of course, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma tells the Mail & Guradian‘s Mandy Rossouw.

The ANC’s in-house electoral commission says it is not investigating a single complaint brought to its attention. Bertha Gxowa, chairperson of the electoral commission, said the commission did not receive any complaints “within its competency”. The commission’s job is to ensure the nomination and voting process at the Polokwane conference runs smoothly.

Presidential hopeful and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma received a boost from the Mandela family as the race to see who will be the next leader of the party and the country enters the home stretch. Although Nelson Mandela chose to keep mum throughout the bitter succession battle, his former wife and grandson have come out in support of a Zuma presidency for South Africa.

The most dangerous place for South Africans to be is in their own homes and workplaces. The crime statistics released on Thursday show decreases in most crime categories but robberies at residential and business premises are still on the rise.

The gloves are really off. A campaign to ”set the record straight about Jacob Zuma” is central to a fight-back plan by President Thabo Mbeki’s strategists, aimed at giving him a third term as party leader at the Polokwane conference. The campaign is set to resurrect Zuma’s links with fraud convict Schabir Shaik, and his controversial rape trial.