Rank outsiders have entered the debate on who should replace axed deputy president Jacob Zuma while President Thabo Mbeki mulls over his choices.

Mbeki acknowledged on Friday the urgency of replacing Zuma, and said he would make an appointment soon.

"With regard to the appointment of the new deputy president and any other appointments that will be necessary, I am processing that.

"Clearly we have to deal with that matter quite quickly because the constitution provides for the appointment of the deputy president, and therefore it is not a matter that we can drag out for very long. We will resolve it in the next few days," he said.

In ANC alliance circles this week the names of Tito Mboweni, the Reserve Bank governor, Jeff Radebe, the transport minister, Kgalema Motlanthe, the ANC secretary-general, and Joel Netshitenzhe, the chief government spokesperson, were being mentioned as hot contenders to fill Zuma's shoes.

They are being mentioned as possible immediate replacements as well as likely candidates to enter the presidential succession race. Although Zuma is still certain to stand if he clears his name in time for the 2007 decision on Mbeki's successor, the bidding is due to start at the ANC's mid-term policy conference in just over a week.

Previous contenders to enter the succession race, businessmen Cyril Ramaphosa and Saki Macozoma, are absent from parliamentary corridor talk. A comprehensive cabinet reshuffle may also be on the cards, to give effect to the government overhaul Mbeki has planned with his forum of directors-general, Fosad.

"In due course I shall announce the necessary changes in the executive [usually defined as cabinet and government departments] to take account of the void that the departure of Deputy President Jacob Zuma has created," Mbeki said on Tuesday. Insiders have interpreted this as hinting at a wider shuffle than merely replacing Zuma.

Of the new contenders, only Radebe is a member of the national assembly, a constitutional requirement for the position of deputy president. But six new seats in the assembly are up for grabs - that of Zuma and five Travelgate MPs who were convicted of fraud and are likely to receive their marching orders at an ANC national working committee meeting on Monday.

Motlanthe, with his trade union background, is a natural choice to pacify the alliance's left, which is smarting after Zuma's axing.

Mboweni's name has popped up from time to time in succession discussions, and insiders believe he is ready to move on from his tough monetary policy job, although he once famously said there can be no bigger challenge.

Radebe, also the ANC's policy chief, was touted as among the few Zulu-speakers able to pacify supporters in KwaZulu-Natal, where tempers were running particularly high over Zuma.

Netshitenzhe was favoured because of his close policy relationship with the president and pivotal role in the restructuring plans.

If Mbeki decided to choose from existing MPs in his cabinet, three more possible scenarios are persistently mentioned in parliament's lobbies: Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister and ANC chairperson, is seen as a most obvious choice to step into Zuma's shoes.

But others believe Trevor Manuel, the finance minister, who is said to be keen to move into fresher pastures, would be an excellent choice, particularly to console the coloured constituency in Western Cape after last week's ousting of premier Ebrahim Rasool as provincial chairperson.

His former deputy, Mandisi Mphalwa, the trade and industry minister, is ready to step into his shoes without rocking the financial markets too much, insiders suggested. Yet another school of thought favours two deputy presidents and predicts that Radebe will be one of them.

Other contenders, including Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the foreign minister, and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the minerals and energy minister, seem to have fallen off the rumour mill's list of possible replacements.

With acknowledgements to Christelle Terreblanche and The Sunday Independent.