The African National Congress (ANC) presidential succession race is already getting into full swing, with party deputy president Jacob Zuma setting the pace in a leadership race that still has two years to run.

Yesterday, despite an ANC- negotiated truce between himself and President Thabo Mbeki, Zuma fired another salvo in his battle with Mbeki. The two have been at odds since Zuma’s sacking as Mbeki’s deputy in cabinet, and Mbeki has also declared himself available for re-election to the ANC’s top job.

Speaking to Vaal University of Technology students, Zuma lashed out at “academic politicians” and leaders who were not in touch with the people they led — a thinly veiled reference to his rival.

“Live your life with purpose. Don’t become an academic leader who, when asked a question by the people, is then forced to turn to his briefcase before giving an answer. Some leaders are made by the newspapers and they are paper leaders. If you are not made by the newspapers, you can’t disappear,” Zuma said.

This was an apparent riposte to weekend newspaper articles that sought to paint an unflattering picture of life under a Zuma presidency.

Flanked by ANC Youth League president Fikile Mbalula and Young Communist League national secretary Buti Manamela, Zuma also sought to take the gap opened by a lack of leadership from Mbeki on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Government inaction on the disease is widely regarded as Mbeki’s Achilles heel.

“I will be making a mistake if I don’t raise this issue with you. The disease is there. You can’t run from it,” Zuma said.

This was in stark contrast to Mbeki’s unwillingness to speak publicly on AIDS. Last month he came under heavy fire from Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, a key Zuma ally. Vavi blamed government’s inaction on the disease on Mbeki’s well-known denialist views.

Zuma told the students, who chanted “Zuma for president”, that they needed to choose their leaders carefully.

He alluded to the history of struggle to argue that only leaders who were rooted among ordinary people could lead the ANC.

He lauded former ANC presidents Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela, saying these men were always ready to defend the poor.

Zuma also sought to dispel accusations that his campaign was ethnically inspired and concentrated in his native KwaZulu-Natal. “Let us bury the devil of tribalism, let us unite,” he said, quoting ANC founder Pixley ka Isaka Seme. But despite his veiled criticisms, Zuma was careful to be seen to be upholding the peace pact with Mbeki. He warned his followers against embarrassing the ANC by burning T-shirts bearing Mbeki’s image.

“I will be misleading you if I don’t speak out against it. I want this message to go out across the country: in whatever we do, we do not undermine the ANC. We cannot act in a way to warrant criticism from our enemies.”

Like a politician on the stump, Zuma has attended gatherings across the country, speaking to students, traditional leaders and workers. Next week he will deliver the Oliver Tambo memorial lecture in Johannesburg to mark the 61st anniversary of the youth league. He will also meet Limpopo traditional leaders, following last week’s meeting with Eastern Cape chiefs.

With acknowledgements to Karima Brown, Vukani Mde and the Business Day.