Ramaphosa, Cronin among senior ANC leaders in committee

JOHANNESBURG: The ANC yesterday appointed an ad hoc committee of senior members to draw up a "detailed factual report" on the arms deal.

Zuma and senior ANC leaders had previously complained about Zuma being unfairly targeted - they believe that the arms deal had tainted a wider net of the ruling party's senior leaders.

In an answering affidavit before his case was struck off the roll, Zuma said: "Honourable President Mbeki was in his position as the then deputy president and member of the Cabinet, very much involved in the arms deal. He took an active interest in it. He engaged with various role players and other interested parties. He has been scurrilously accused of being party to improprieties in this regard."

At the national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, Zuma - according to ANC Treasurer-General Mathews Phosa - reiterated how he was unfairly treated in this case.

"The (ANC) president had time yesterday to really go back into it again so that new members of the NEC understand exactly where things broke down," Phosa said, adding that "this case is very politically inspired".

Phosa also told reporters in Johannesburg that "this case in fact is not only a trial about Jacob Zuma, it goes beyond that".

While denying that the special NEC committee was an attempt to reopen the contentious arms deal that sparked criminal charges against Zuma, ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe said the new NEC needs to be fully informed.

"The NEC says before we can say should we open the arms deal or not, we need to go into the details of the arms deal, because once we get the information we are in a better position to make informed pronouncement, to take decisions and to locate this case and charges of the president within a broader context.

"So the exercise is for the NEC of the ANC as a leadership structure to have concrete information," said Mantashe.

He said the committee would get information from "all sources, particularly official sources of the arms deal" and report to the new NEC.

Phosa cautioned that the committee did not have the power to subpoena witnesses.

Members of the committee include:

• ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe who has stood with Zuma during his court appearances in KwaZulu-Natal;
• Phosa, who is critical of the National Prosecuting Authority;
• ANC NEC member and SA Communist Party Deputy General Secretary Jeremy Cronin, who is passionate about reopening the arms deal;
• ANC NEC member Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, who is sympathetic to Mbeki;
• NEC member and former defence force general Siphiwe Nyanda, who left after a cold relationship with Mbeki;
• Education Minister Naledi Pandor, who has not been openly tainted by factionalism within the party;
• NEC member and businessman Cyril Ramaphosa;
• and Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, whose relationship with Mbeki is not that congenial.

The committee would also come up with details of how to support Zuma materially during his trial that is expected to start in August.

Phosa said Zuma would fight the charges "inch by inch", but refused to be drawn into what would happen if he is convicted.

"The ANC is capable of rising to the occasion if such eventuality happens, but we are not even there," he said.

Mantashe said Zuma would lead the ANC election campaign "as the organisation's candidate for president of South Africa in the 2009 election".

Phosa said later: "The fact of the matter is that he is innocent until found guilty, we are not government we are a party ... we are going to stand by him, he is our president, through and through".

The NEC also blasted the acting national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe and former NPA head Bulelani Ngcuka for pursuing unfair charges against Zuma.

However, Mantashe said the ANC was committed "to the independence of the judiciary, the rule of law and the principle of equality before the law".

"These principles require that the institutions of state are able to fulfil their constitutional mandate without fear or favour, as it requires them to respect the rights and dignity of all individuals charged or under investigation.

"The meeting expressed its concern and grave misgivings about the timing of these charges and the general conduct of the NPA in this case," Mantashe said.

With acknowledgements to Moshoeshoe Monare and Cape Times.