ANC firefighters fan out across the nation to calm grassroots rebellion

There is a danger that political squabbles are now being sorted out through the judicial system’ ­ Zwelinzima Vavi

PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has dispatched senior party leaders to ANC structures across the country to quell a mounting rebellion over his firing of Jacob Zuma as deputy president of the country.

Zuma, who remains deputy president of the ANC, is fighting for his survival within the party and has not ruled out fighting for the leadership of the ANC at the party’s 2007 congress.

His fighting talk this week and his insistence that he has been unfairly treated has set the stage for a brutal battle between South Africa’s two most powerful politicians.

Zuma was fired by Mbeki on Tuesday after Durban High Court Judge Hilary Squires said a “generally corrupt relationship” existed between him and his financial adviser Schabir Shaik, who was convicted of fraud and corruption and sentenced to 15 years in jail.

On Wednesday, Zuma’s supporters expressed their dismay at Mbeki’s decision by disrupting June 16 commemoration rallies across the country.

In Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal, they pelted Premier S’bu Ndebele ­ a political ally of Mbeki ­ with bottles and stones, forcing him to leave an event early at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu.

At an ANC Youth League rally in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, crowds chanted anti-Mbeki and pro-Zuma slogans, while the former deputy president did a prolonged lap of honour around the field.

The groundswell of support for Zuma among leaders of the ANC’s allies and among ordinary party supporters is seen as a direct affront to the President and is presenting him with his toughest challenge since he took office in 1999.

Yesterday, on his 63rd birthday, Mbeki launched an impromptu charm offensive, mingling with crowds and even offering some of his birthday cake to journalists.

Mbeki was in Kliptown, Soweto, to view the progress on the construction of a new centre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the ANC’s basic policy document, the Freedom Charter.

Scores of people gathered near the monument when they heard that Mbeki was in the area.

On seeing the crowds, Mbeki veered from his schedule and went to the fence to shake hands and talk to some of the residents.

Some in the crowd affectionately shouted “T-boz, T-boz!” ­ township slang for Thabo ­ as they competed for the President’s attention.

Inside the building, a group of young people ­ all members of the National Youth Service ­ presented Mbeki with a surprise birthday cake and sang him a popular kwaito version of Happy Birthday.

Mbeki’s decision to mingle with the crowd contrasted with his appearance at a June 16 rally in Kimberley on Thursday where he seemed more reserved and steered clear of the crowds.

But, even as Mbeki turned on the charm, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi yesterday launched a fresh attack on his decision to fire Zuma.

Addressing a packed Orient Theatre in East London, Vavi said the union federation’s support for Zuma would not end until the day he was found guilty by a court.

He compared Zuma to a man tied to a burning chair.

“When this man starts screaming for help, someone says ‘I am only burning the chair.’”

Vavi also warned that there was a “danger that political squabbles are now being sorted out through the judicial system”.

Vavi later told the Sunday Times that he was deeply worried about the reaction to Zuma's dismissal.

“There is anger on this matter, lots of anger. The deep sense is that this is just a plot, a political gimmick to get rid of Zuma,” he said.

Cosatu sources in three provinces said that members were beginning to question the decision to keep labour within the ruling alliance.

“People are asking what’s the point, what’s the value. There is a feeling that this is the end for us, a deep sense of hopelessness,” said a senior official.

Vavi said he was also concerned about speculation at grassroots level that Zuma’s axing was partly intended to prevent a Zulu from becoming president.

“I am very worried about that. I am hearing it everywhere, that this is an ethnic thing. This is not an easy period for anyone,” he said.

The head of Mbeki’s ANC office, Smuts Ngonyama, said of the negative reaction to Mbeki’s decision: “It is true that there was an element of surprise, but we would definitely understand that it is about a lack of awareness of the reasons for the decision.”

He said senior ministers and ANC provincial leaders were fanning out across the country to explain Mbeki’s decision to angry and confused members and branches.

Ngonyama blamed much of the reason for the anti-Mbeki protests in Nelspruit and KwaMashu on the fact that party leaders had not had enough time to explain the President’s statement to their supporters.

“There are various provincial general councils and provincial executive committee meetings taking place this week and next week, and those will be used, among other things, for this purpose,” he said.

At least two provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, confirmed that the issue had been discussed at their weekend meetings.

Gauteng is expected to discuss it today at its provincial general council, which will be held in preparation for the national general council in Pretoria next week

An ANC National Executive Committee member said the party was eager to win the support of the grassroots for Mbeki ahead of the National General Council.

“You do not want that meeting ­ the most important national gathering of our cadreship between national conferences ­ to be characterised by protests and debates over the whole Zuma saga,” the member said.

Mbeki, meanwhile, has played his cards close to his chest when it comes to Zuma’s replacement.

Speculation is rife that Mbeki will choose from ANC secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.

But even Mbeki’s close aides are at a loss as to who he will choose.

Analysts inside and outside the party point out, however, that the appointment would appear to be an endorsement of a successor, a signal that Mbeki might be reluctant to send.

“Mbeki’s style is to hold his decisions until the very last moment. I would expect him to prefer to appoint someone who will not look like a candidate for the presidency. Trevor Manuel would fit that bill,” said one member of Mbeki’s executive.

The same consideration would apply to anyone Mbeki appointed who was also seen as a candidate for the presidency, including Dlamini-Zuma, Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka or Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula.

ANC leaders say Mbeki is strongly in favour of appointing a woman to the position. But appointing Manuel would have the added benefit of providing him with a smooth exit from the Finance Ministry.

He is already one of the world’s longest-serving finance ministers and he is known to be tired of the job.

Mbeki appointed Manuel to act as President during his one-day visit to Nigeria today, but officials were quick to say that this was not an indication of his choice of a successor to Zuma.

Zine George is a reporter on the Daily Dispatch in East London

With acknowledgements to S’thembiso Msomi, Brendan Boyle, Prega Govender, Zine George and the Sunday Times.