In a truly extraordinary development, Gwede Mantashe, the secretary general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), called a press conference on Saturday to announce that:
[T]he party’s top-level National Executive Committee [NEC] has decided to recall the president of the republic before his term of office expires.
Then, in a bit of political doublespeak only former US president Richard Nixon could appreciate, Mantashe assured the country that President Thabo Mbeki:
… welcomed the news and agreed that he is going to participate in the process and the formalities.
But, to put this into perspective, just imagine waking up tomorrow and hearing the chairman of the Republican National Committee announce that his Party has decided to recall George W. Bush as president of the United States, and that Bush welcomed the news and agreed to resign. (Granted, most Americans would probably think it was about time and really welcome the news, but it would be politically cataclysmic.)
Therefore, one wonders what could have prompted the ANC to emasculate Mbeki in this ignominious fashion. And, if he was so agreeable, why didn’t it give him the same face-saving opportunity the US Congress gave Nixon; i.e., to address the nation and announce his resignation on his own terms?
Moreover, why move against him now, given that he was clearly set to retire early next year…?
In fact, the timing of this announcement only added insult to injury, coming as it did while Mbeki was still celebrating the tenuous power-sharing agreement he brokered for a coalition government in neighboring Zimbabwe.
Not to mention the irony that Mbeki has withstood damning international criticism for using his presidency to keep Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe in power, only to find now that he does not have enough power to save his own presidency.
As it happens, I have chronicled the uneasy alliance between Mbeki and the ANC’s preferred president, Jacob Zuma (pictured here behind Mbeki), which has now ended in this political coup d’etat. And much of this unease stemmed from the serial prosecution of Zuma on rape and corruption charges that began many years ago.
By way of background, here are some quotes from just a few of my commentaries on this unfolding saga:
In a truly dramatic demonstration of democratic leadership, South African President Thabo Mbeki sacked his deputy, Jacob Zuma, for being guilty of corruption – merely by association.
[Some good news about Africa…for a change, The iPINIONS Journal, June 16, 2005]
What, pray tell, is going on in South Africa?! How have political disputes within its ruling African National Congress (ANC) become such an internecine saga that President Thabo Mbeki felt compelled last week to publish an Open Letter assuring South Africans that his sacking of Deputy President Jacob Zuma was not part of a “deliberate hostile political persecution”?….
Zuma was Mbeki’s Achilles heel just as Winnie was Nelson Mandela’s! And, just as Mandela had to disassociate from Winnie (by divorcing her) to preserve the viability of his leadership, so too did Mbeki have to disassociate from Zuma (by sacking him) for the sake of his leadership.
[Support for (principled) Mbeki wanes as it surges for the (compromised) Zuma, The iPINIONS Journal, August 30, 2005]
[I commented on the] graphic and damningly probative testimony by an HIV-positive woman who claimed that Jacob Zuma – her dead father’s best friend and the man she regarded as her adopted father – had raped her. In his defense, however, Zuma took the stand and testified that – although he may have done a stupid thing (by having unprotected sex with his putative daughter) – the sex was entirely consensual, and that he was not a rapist.
Alas, the presiding judge agreed with Zuma….
Let’s hope the judge assigned to render the verdict [in his corruption] case is more judicial than paternal in his legal reasoning. Because, if he’s acquitted of the corruption charges as well, Zuma – arguably a morally bankrupt rapist and thief – will become South Africa’s next president in 2009….
[Zuma gets off on rape, The iPINIONS Journal, May 9, 2006]
“They should please not choose someone of whom most of us would be ashamed. Our country deserves better. We’re very worried that [Zuma] had relations with a woman who regarded him as a parent; and, although he is very likeable, we have to ask ourselves: ‘What is happening in the ANC?'” Thus lamented Archbishop Desmond Tutu….
Meanwhile, given his apparent failure to exert any influence over this contentious conference [to elect a new ANC leader], I feel inclined to say here that Nelson Mandela (89) must be rolling over in his grave. But he’s still kicking, and saying only that “It saddens me to see and hear of the nature of the differences currently in the organization.”
[Mbeki versus Zuma for ANC leadership, The iPINIONS Journal, December 17, 2007]
With that, this latest episode began last week when the judge presiding over Zuma’s corruption trial dismissed all charges against him. More to the point, many South Africans, including Mbeki supporters, assumed this decision would completely exculpate Zuma. This, after the judge ruled that, despite his public denials, Mbeki “may have had a role in bringing corruption charges against Mr Zuma.”
Therefore, when prosecutors immediately announced their intent to appeal the judge’s decision, the ANC’s NEC (now comprised mostly of Zuma loyalists after Zuma defeated Mbeki for the ANC leadership last December) reportedly felt the only way to stop them was to sack Mbeki. Which is understandable once you realize that Zuma’s supporters have always suspected Mbeki of wanting to see Zuma behind bars to eliminate him as the dominant force in South African politics.
As things stand, Mbeki is expected to formally tender his resignation in the coming days, unless he decides to force his ANC comrades to oust him by forcing an even more humiliating no-confidence vote in Parliament.
“Parliament should have the last word, not some kangaroo court of the ANC NEC…. Here is a person, not accused of any crime, being pushed out of office by a person who faces charges of fraud and corruption.” [Opposition leader Bantu Holomisa of the United Democratic Movement]
Hear, hear!
But if Mbeki heeds the ANC’s recall, Parliament will likely appoint a Zuma ally as caretaker president for the remainder of his term, after which everyone expects Zuma to become the next duly elected president. Then, I fear, he will do for South Africa what Mugabe has done for Zimbabwe….
In the meantime, it remains to be seen if key Cabinet ministers will decide to resign in solidarity with Mbeki. Because, if they do, this could plunge South Africa into immediate political and economic turmoil.
Amandla!
NOTE: Am I the only one who finds it curious, if not incomprehensible, that Mbeki is doing so little to deny or fight the charge that he masterminded the prosecution (i.e., persecution) of Zuma…?
Related Articles:
Mbeki versus Zuma for ANC leadership
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