Opportunity to strengthen participation of women - Mbeki

She arrived in New York an ordinary cabinet minister, but hurriedly left the Big Apple on Tuesday to return home as South Africa's first woman deputy president.

Today Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, 49, will be sworn in by Chief Justice Pius Langa, watched by her husband, former NPA head turned businessman Bulelani Ngcuka, and her parents who flew in from KwaZulu-Natal.

Those close to her say it was a job she was initially reluctant to accept because she was concerned about the possible fallout. Told to go and think about it, she duly agreed on Tuesday, and cut her trip short to the United States to return home to a potential storm and controversy.

Her concerns related to allegations linking her brother Bongani to the so-called Oilgate scandal, but more significantly to the fact that her husband was at the centre of a row arising from the corruption investigation into the man whose shoes she must now fill, more than a week after he was fired by Mbeki.

Unlike Jacob Zuma, Mlambo-Ngcuka is not among the top leaders of the ANC, nor does she have his struggle credentials. She is, however, the 12th most popular ANC NEC member elected at the party's conference in 2002, and also serves on its national working committee. Like Zuma, she is a Zulu.

Former deputy trade and industry minister, Lindiwe Hendricks, replaces Mlambo-Ngcuka as minerals and energy minister, while Mbeki has appointed two new trade and industry deputies, ANC MP Elizabeth Thabethe, who served as chairwoman of the National Assembly's Environment Affairs and Tourism committee, and Dr Rob Davies, the chairman of the National Assembly's finance committee.

Mbeki's announcement was brief after a regular cabinet meeting in Cape Town.

He said the new appointments were an "opportunity to strengthen the participation of women in the executive" and this was partly what influenced his decision.

It was left to government spokesman, Joel Netshitenzhe, to field questions from reporters, particularly regarding the president's zero-tolerance approach to corruption.

Among them were allegations that taxpayers' money was channelled from state oil company PetroSA, via Imvume Management, to ANC's election coffers, as well as the fact the Mlambo-Ngcuka's brother had business links to Imvume boss, Sandi Majali. Mlambo-Ngcuka would have been the politically accountable minister for the energy sector.

Netshitenzhe was asked: Was there any discussion about the Oilgate saga?

"The issue did not arise. As far as the government is concerned that issue is being dealt with at a different level altogether. It is not relevant at all to government work. As far as we are concerned it is a party political matter and the ANC is capable of dealing with it."

Netshitenzhe tried to fob off another related question, saying he did not have sufficient information about the R50 000 Mlambo-Ngcuka's brother allegedly received from Majali. Both parties have insisted it was payment for work done as part of a legitimate business relationship.

Netshitenzhe told reporters: "I would not have sufficient information on the details. I am not aware (whether) those resources were from taxpayers or a private company.

"I don't have details whether it was a loan or a business activity of a relative. An explanation was given that was cogent and I think was sufficient... I don't understand why an issue should remain."

Asked about claims by Zuma and his supporters that he was the victim of a political plot carried out by Mlambo-Ngcuka's husband and what message her appointment would send, Netshitenzhe echoed an ANC national working committee statement issued earlier this week which denounced the claims.

"The point needs to be made very strongly that the government rejects with the contempt it deserves any insinuation that state structures can be used for personal or other political purposes.

"As far as the government is concerned we are building a democratic state, a law-based government, and there will not be any instance now or in the future (in which) state structures will be used for narrow political purposes."

In a swipe at sexists, Netshitenzhe said Mlambo-Ngcuka should be recognised for her own capacity and not because she was someone else's wife.

"In this instance it would be to question the capacity of the deputy president to refer to her as a wife of someone else, whereas she is coming into this position in her own right," he said.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal and the Cape Times.