Mbeki is ‘right about ANC, but the political implications are serious’

The ANC leadership is to meet former president Thabo Mbeki to discuss his unprecedented tirade against the party and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In a 17-page letter dated 29 March, addressed to deputy president Paul Mashatile, Mbeki was scathing in his criticism of the ANC’s moves in regards to Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm scandal and Eskom.

Mbeki said it was wrong for the governing party to use its majority in parliament to reject the establishment of a parliamentary multiparty ad hoc committee to probe the farm scandal and corruption at Eskom.

Phala Phala vote

Mbeki said he had written to Mashatile because Ramaphosa had previously excused himself from examining the Phala Phala matter in ANC meetings. Mbeki compared the ANC’s actions to it voting against several motions of no confidence against former president Jacob Zuma at the height of Nkandla scandal.

According to Mbeki, the ANC voted against investigations into Phala Phala because it suspected Ramaphosa did something wrong and added the ruling party wanted to protect Ramaphosa “at all costs”.

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“As you know, the three-person panel appointed by parliament concerning the Phala Phala matter decided the president had a case to answer with regard to a process of impeachment,” he wrote.

“What should have followed this is that the National Assembly would have appointed a multiparty committee (MPC) precisely to investigate the matter of whether the comrade president did indeed have a case to answer.”

Mbeki said, however, the ANC voted to stop the formation of the committee.

“I would assume that as ANC members we would assume that our president would not do and has not done anything impeachable,” Mbeki wrote.

“Or are we saying that we suspect or know that he has done something impeachable and therefore decided that we must protect our president at all costs by ensuring that no MPC is formed?”

ANC to meet Mbeki

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party found it regrettable that Mbeki’s letter had been leaked. He said the ANC’s national officials would discuss the letter and seek an audience with Mbeki.

“It is only then that the ANC will consider a commentary on the contents of the letter and discussions with former president Thabo Mbeki,” Mbalula said.

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Free State University political analyst Sethulego Matebesi said it was a problem a former president took on a sitting president.

“It is a huge problem because you would expect the former president to at least engage the ANC,” he said.

“Once again, one can only talk about unresolved problems between the leadership of the ANC.”

Matebesi said although Mbeki had a point, and it was important to celebrate someone who spoke out, it was crucial he remained consistent.

Political analyst André Duvenhage said from a legal point of view, there was a problem and Mbeki was right. Duvenhage said there was prima facie evidence against Ramaphosa as the committee that investigated the situation placed before parliament and the ANC was using its majority to let Ramaphosa off the hook.

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Duvenhage said from a political strategic point of view, it would be very dangerous for the ANC to remove Ramaphosa at this point in time.

“If they removed him, their power base would without any doubt fall a lot,” he said.

“I do not think the ANC can come to that point because it would be dangerous for their 2024 election campaign. It is a process of survival for the party and Ramaphosa positioned himself strategically in terms of the survival of the party.

“Mbeki is right but the political implications for the party, leader and country are very serious.”

Mbeki said it was confusing ANC MPs voted against the establishment of a committee when it would “exactly establish that our president has not done anything impeachable”.

“What message are we communicating to the masses about the values and integrity of the ANC?” he asked.

Mbeki also questioned why the ANC used its majority again early this month to vote against the formation of an ad hoc committee to probe alleged corruption at Eskom – a motion brought by the Democratic Alliance.

“Once again, the question arises, why did we veto the establishment of a parliamentary process to investigate criminality at Eskom?” he asked.

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“Work must be done to establish precisely what was done and by whom to create the Eskom crisis. It is in all likelihood quite correct that there are criminal cartels in Eskom as well as acts of sabotage and corrupt interventions all directly connected to the acts of the counter-revolution.

“It was very wrong that we took a decision to veto the initiation of a parliamentary process specifically focused on investigating the criminal activities at Eskom.”

– lungas@citizen.co.za