The battle between Mbeki and Zuma continues

President Thabo Mbeki reportedly faces an outright rebellion by supporters of Jacob Zuma, who are planning to force the ANC into accepting their man as its future president. According to the Sunday Times, they are set to hijack the party’s December policy conference where they will propose that the ANC deputy president automatically becomes the next president. This would pave the way for Zuma to lead the party in 2007 and then become president of South Africa in 2009 when Mbeki’s second term ends. The ANC will elect its new president in December next year at the party’s 52nd national conference.