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/ 13 December 2007

PSAM ‘dismayed’ at ANC succession

The Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) has expressed ”dismay” at the African National Congress’s (ANC) succession debate focusing on the personalities of President Thabo Mbeki and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma. ”The PSAM believes that debate should be refocused on the protection of civil and political rights,” it said.

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/ 7 December 2007

Skweyiya regrets publication of Lekota letter

”Unfortunate and regrettable” was how Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya on Friday described the publication of a letter in which he criticised Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota. ”I wish to state that the letter was intended for internal discussion within the African National Congress, and not for public consumption,” he said.

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/ 7 December 2007

SABC defends Mbeki interview

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Friday rejected allegations that it was favouring President Thabo Mbeki over his rival, African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma, in the battle for succession in the ruling party. The SABC has come under fire from commentators following its decision to broadcast a two-hour interview with Mbeki.

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/ 7 December 2007

Yengeni policeman faces criminal probe

Police are investigating charges of corruption and obstruction of justice against a senior Cape Town policeman involved in Tony Yengeni’s alleged drunk-driving saga. Provincial police spokesperson Novel Potelwa said that Goodwood station commissioner, Senior Superintendent Siphiwe Hewana, had also been suspended without pay, and faced an internal disciplinary hearing.

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/ 6 December 2007

ANC releases consolidated nominations list

Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has declined a nomination as African National Congress (ANC) chairperson but has accepted a nomination for deputy president. This emerged on Thursday when the ANC released its long-awaited consolidated list of nominations for its national executive committee.

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/ 6 December 2007

Vavi says no to ANC NEC nomination

Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi will not accept a nomination to the national executive committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC), Cosatu said on Thursday. Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the congress was seriously concerned about leaders who embraced ”patronage”.

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/ 6 December 2007

ANC ‘will be more divided’ after Polokwane

The African National Congress will remain divided after its Polokwane conference, South African Communist Party chairperson Gwede Mantashe on Thursday. He was speaking at a public seminar about the future and challenges of the ANC. ”The ANC will come out more divided after Limpopo. Divisions will last longer if any of the main competing groups win.

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/ 6 December 2007

ANC member wants Polokwane put on ice

A member of the African National Congress has launched a legal bid to postpone the party’s conference this month, citing divisions over its leadership and breaches of the Bill of Rights, local media said on Thursday. Lawyer and ANC member Votani Majola would seek an interdict at the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday.

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/ 6 December 2007

Mbeki wants debate on floor-crossing

President Thabo Mbeki said on Wednesday he hoped the African National Congress (ANC) would discuss floor-crossing at its national conference in Polokwane this month. Speaking in a South African Broadcasting Corporation radio interview, he said the ANC had been opposed to floor-crossing when the issue was first raised by opposition parties.

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/ 5 December 2007

Mbeki looks beyond Polokwane conference

The outcome of the African National Congress’s (ANC) leadership contest is up to its membership and the contest should not be seen in a negative light, President Thabo Mbeki said on Wednesday. The people nominated were ”not nominated because they are enemies”, and should not treat one another as such.

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/ 5 December 2007

Hundreds march against gender violence

Hundreds of men and women, including Cabinet ministers, marched in Pretoria on Wednesday in support of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign. The crowd marched from Sammy Marks Square to the Union Buildings to hand over a memorandum calling for more to be done for gender equality.

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/ 5 December 2007

ANC race stirs economic concerns

South Africa’s economic boom looks set to persist but concerns linger over the direction of policy after the crucial African National Congress (ANC) conference, which seems likely to choose Jacob Zuma as the ruling party’s new leader. Economic growth jumped to 5,4% in 2006 — its fastest rate since 1981 — and wealth is spreading to a burgeoning black middle class.

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/ 5 December 2007

How do SA Cabinet members unwind?

What does President Thabo Mbeki like to do in his spare time? Ballroom dancing? Playing the piano? No, the man likes to work during leisure hours, says his spokesperson. As the ruling party’s national conference in Polokwane approaches members of the South African Cabinet certainly need ways to unwind.

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/ 4 December 2007

Claims of intimidation in North West

North West African National Congress delegates are being threatened and bribed to vote for President Thabo Mbeki at the party’s national conference later this month, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday. Solly Phetoe, North West provincial secretary of Cosatu, said a number of delegates had complained of this.

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/ 4 December 2007

Did police bungle Yengeni arrest?

A senior Cape Town police officer may face disciplinary charges after making conflicting statements on the time of the recent arrest of former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni for drunken driving. The step follows reports that police may have bungled the arrest by delaying taking a blood-alcohol sample.

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/ 4 December 2007

Zuma brushes off scandals to lead race

Jacob Zuma is hounded by corruption allegations and his rape trial often overshadows his status as a hero of the anti-apartheid struggle. Yet the burly Zulu politician has shrugged off obstacles that would have crippled others to emerge as favourite to lead the ruling African National Congress.

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/ 4 December 2007

Women to march for gender equality in ANC

A march by gender activists in protest at the African National Congress (ANC) Women’s League nominations of mostly men for the party’s top six positions would take place this week. Chief executive of the Gender and Media Southern Africa network Kubi Rama on Tuesday said the women would participate in the march on Wednesday.

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/ 4 December 2007

The great Zuma debate

In the fierce debate raging around the man tipped to become South Africa’s next president, African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma, there are few neutrals. With less than a fortnight to go before the ruling party’s national conference in Polokwane, reports show a country split over the politician.

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/ 3 December 2007

Mbeki, Zuma confirm candidacies for ANC

South African President Thabo Mbeki and his arch-rival, Jacob Zuma, have both officially confirmed they are candidates for party chief of the African National Congress (ANC), their offices said Monday. ”Mr Jacob Zuma signed the ANC nomination form over the weekend in London,” Zuma’s spokesperson, Ranjeni Munusamy, said.

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/ 3 December 2007

Cosatu rejects call for Mbeki to step down early

The Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Monday rejected calls for President Thabo Mbeki to step down as president of the country in the event African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma is elected party head in Polokwane. Cosatu will oppose Mbeki ”stepping down before his term of office expires,” it said in a statement.

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/ 3 December 2007

Kunene to be charged with murder, court hears

Muziwendoda Kunene, the man caught up in the hoax-email saga, will be charged with murder, the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday. Prosecutor Simon Maluleka told the court that Kunene would be charged with the October murder of Ballito real-estate agent Lynne Hume. His eldest son is a witness in that case, Maluleka told the court.