Nine members of the platinum-rich Bakwena Ba Mogopa community have been acquitted on charges of public violence stemming from a protracted leadership battle within the tribe, which has yet to be resolved. In handing down the decision at the Garankuwa Magistrate’s Court, Magistrate Aggrey Siphuthi ruled that no concrete evidence had been provided to justify punishing the accused.

ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma’s lobbyists have added North West speaker Thandi Modise to their list for the party’s top six positions in what appears to be a move to counter President Thabo Mbeki’s strategy on gender parity in the ANC’s succession battle. Key Zuma strategist and Fikile Mbalula confirmed that Modise was a candidate on the Zuma camp’s list for party deputy general secretary.

<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=ancconference_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/321750/Icon_ANCconference.gif" align=left border=0></a>"For many of us in the ANC, we treat the movement as our father’s house." <i>Mail & Guardian</i> editor Ferial Haffajee interviews African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee member Trevor Manuel, who emphasises that the ANC’s ethos is at risk and must be defended.