Thabo Mbeki Foundation denies he is ‘on the comeback trail’

The Thabo Mbeki Foundation has denied reports that the former president is serving as an adviser to recently-elected ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Over the weekend Mbeki conducted an interview with the SABC from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and was quoted as saying he was ready to assist the new ANC leadership.

“Let’s give this new leadership [a chance] to do what it has promised to do. And we are ready to assist the ANC to do the right things,” said Mbeki.

However, the Thabo Mbeki Foundation released a statement in which it clarified that the allegation of Mbeki making a comeback was “devoid of any truth”.

The foundation explained that the interview covered a wide rang of topics, including “the challenges facing our Continent, in particular the issue of Illicit Financial Flows, the positive developments in the Continent, including the change of Leadership of the African National Congress.”

While it was reported that Mbeki is working closely with Ramaphosa to save South Africa and rejuvenate the strife-torn ruling ANC, the Thabo Mbeki Foundation announced that Mbeki simply urged the ANC’s leadership to identify problems within the ruling party and seek solutions.

“TMF wishes to place it on record that President Mbeki stated that the leadership of the ANC must be given an opportunity to deal with the issues that they themselves have raised: fighting corruption, the renewal of the ANC, the Unity of the ANC etc.

“He further urged the party’s leadership to heed the ANC Stalwarts Declaration of November 2017- which was subsequently adopted by the ANC Veterans’ League. That declaration clearly identified the problems plaguing the organization and how they should be resolved.”

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