The African National Congress in the Free State says it has been vindicated after police confirmed that the murder of former provincial head of policy Noby Ngombane was not politically motivated. The statement followed the appearance in court on Thursday of the brother and sister of Nokwanda Ngombane — Noby Ngombane’s wife — in connection with the murder.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may well choke on the tough conditions attached to any loan package offered to him by the South African government — despite Zimbabwe’s worsening foreign currency crunch. Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, told the Mail & Guardian that Zimbabwe would not accept financial help tied to conditions.
The African National Congress has finally acted against conflict of interest and potential corruption in its ranks by adopting a policy that bars public officials from working for the private sector in an area where they had been active in government. At the national general council in Pretoria, the party adopted a ”cooling-off period” resolution.
In the world of political miscalculations, none has been as dramatic recently as the African National Congress leadership’s belief that ordinary ANC members would accept the resignation of Jacob Zuma from organisational activities. It was a stupendous mistake that nearly derailed the national general council.
Key African National Congress provincial structures are poised to reject two seminal discussion documents at the national general council this weekend — a move that could derail ANC president Thabo Mbeki’s ambitions to legislate a dual economy and redesign the ruling party.
President Thabo Mbeki has confidently set out his stall with the appointment of his protégé, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, to the deputy presidency. He has opted neither for the seniority of African National Congress national chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota nor the popularity of Trevor Manuel, nor for the trust he places in Sydney Mufamadi.
Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool faces a challenge to his leadership of the African National Congress in the Western Cape at the party’s provincial congress at the weekend. The challenge comes from the National Assembly’s health committee chairperson, James Ngculu.
I am so disappointed with the Congress of South African Trade Unions this week. The federation, which projects itself as the nation’s moral torch-bearer since 1994, has fallen on its sword in its response to the political future of Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
The Mail & Guardian this week faced a new legal assault on its right to investigate and publish information relating to financial flows surrounding the payment of R15-million by PetroSA to African National Congress-aligned oil company Imvume Management in December 2003.
Deputy President Jacob Zuma faces two choices: either he steps down from the Cabinet or the African National Congress will have to decide his fate at its national general council at the end of the month. Zuma’s image has been tainted by the trial of Schabir Shaik where the latter was found guilty of corruption and fraud this week.