ANC executive recalls Mbeki

By Mishkah Anthony
20 September 2008

This afternoon in Kempton Park ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe announced the African National Congress decision to recall President Thabo Mbeki.

This follows a meeting of the national executive committee at Esselen Park early this morning. Mantashe says Mbeki has been informed of the decision and hails Mbeki as a loyal member of the movement and he says the ANC’s main purpose now is to retain stability and build unity.

Mantashe says the crisis was elevated by the ruling of Judge Chris Nicholson in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in which he said that Mbeki may have interfered with the judicial process.

Speaking on behalf of the ANC Mantashe stressed that Mbeki was not being punished and that he would be given space to continue his mediating role in Zimbabwe. He says Mbeki is in charge of the country until he resigns and will be consulted by the ANC.

Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance says the ANC has allowed that its own internal power struggles become a crisis for the people of South Africa.

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille says the party will like to see a clear plan to deal with the impact that Mbeki’s exist will have on the running of government, service delivery and economic stability.

She also said that what South Africa needs now is to give hope to ordinary South Africans that the enormous challenges we face will be dealt with.

Mantashe says the parliamentary process will now kick in where the acting president will be selected. But as for Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s plans to resign in the wake of the developments, Mantashe said the ANC had not yet been informed of the step.