South Africa: Manuel's Future Hangs in the Balance

20 December 2007
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
By Deon de Lange, Boyd Webb, Chiara Carter and Angela Quintal

Cape Town — A question mark hangs over whether Finance Minister Trevor Manuel will be part of the ANC's top leadership with the election of the ANC's new National Executive Committee (NEC) proving to be another highly factional affair.

Meanwhile, the ANC Youth League's attempts to ensure that party president Jacob Zuma automatically became the leader of the country if the ANC wins the 2009 election were thwarted on Wednesday night.

It is understood that the league's proposal that the ANC's constitution be changed to ensure that the president of the party automatically became the country's president was rejected. This comes amid speculation that having lost the confidence of his party, Mbeki wants to step down and call an early election.

Spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama has denied this and prominent figures from the Zuma camp have been at pains to insist they do not want this to happen.

It is understood there are concerns within that camp that they are not ready to take the reins of government and concerns that ANC President Jacob Zuma has the threat of being possibly charged for fraud hanging over him.

The conference ground to a divisive halt last night as delegates again slugged it out over vote-counting methods. The Zuma-camp delegates went to the polls with a list of 60 names to back and could exercise their voting discretion on the further 20, including Manuel.

There was some talk that the camp had approached Manuel at the 11th hour to see if he was willing to go on to their list after unionist Randall Howard was disqualified because he had only joined the ANC five months ago.

Manuel denied that he had been approached by some in the Zuma camp and responded with disdain.

"If I, a lifelong ANC member, am being considered as a last-minute replacement for someone who has been a member for five months, then it is just as well I did not make their list," an exasperated Manuel said.

During Wednesday's caucusing some delegates believed that Manuel and Netshitenzhe should be included, while ministers such as Manto Tshabalala-Msimang should not be returned. Set to make a comeback are veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela; former defence chief Siphiwe Nyanda; Tokyo Sexwale; former Cape Town mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo; sacked deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge and sacked intelligence chief Billy Masetlha.

Outright Mbekites do not feature on the list, with only a few cabinet ministers enjoying the favour of pro-Zuma delegates. This handful includes Sport Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya, Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe and Pallo Jordan, the Minister of Arts and Culture.

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