SOUTH AFRICA: Ruling African National Congress has suspended former Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota for threatening to form a breakaway party

Record ID: 455380

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Ruling African National Congress has suspended former Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota for threatening to form a breakaway party
  • Date: 15th October 2008
  • Summary: (AD1) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (OCTOBER 14, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
  • Embargoed: 30th October 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7EF3J4F7TWHL9DGB33USJCHWM
  • Story Text: South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Monday (October 13)suspended former Defence Minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, after he threatened to form a breakaway party.
    Lekota, who quit as defence minister in protest at the party's ousting of former President Thabo Mbeki last month, has indicated that the ANC is close to a split and that he may form a new party ahead of next year's elections.
    Lekota's suspension could make a schism more likely, although analysts say that without heavyweight members such as Mbeki himself, a breakaway group would struggle to pose a real challenge to the ANC.
    A breakaway group would represent the biggest split in the formerly monolithic ANC, Africa's oldest political party, for 50 years.
    However, Lekota did not announce a new party as had been predicted although he said the ANC was close to a split.
    He called for a congress of forces opposed to the ANC's current policies and direction within four weeks but said he had not spoken to opposition parties.
    "We intend within a short period of time two to three weeks, four weeks or so to call a national convention or congress or something of that nature to determine how to proceed, to strengthen democracy in this country, to defend the institution that are in placed. So that all of us may regain the respect that we had began to build in the eyes of the population, in the eyes of our region and in the eyes of the world. This is probably the parting of the ways, it probably is we hope that sense may still prevail in others to review their position, if not there's no going back," Lekota told reporters at the news conference.
    The ANC said it would also suspend Lekota's former deputy, Mluleki George, who joined him in threatening to split from the party, and said other dissidents would face the same fate.
    Lekota and Mluleki have been touring the country drumming up support for what they say could be a new political party.
    They are expected to face a disciplinary hearing within 30 days of their membership suspensions.
    ANC president, Jacob Zuma who took over as head of the party last December from Mbeki has repeatedly dismissed talk of a breakaway party, saying it will fail.
    The ANC slammed "factional activity" in a statement Monday and said members had no right to destabilise the party.
    "We are going to engage and it is important for us to do so but those who have grievances and other views should bare in mind that there is a limit to utilise the ANC and ANC structures because I heard comrade George sitting next to him (Mosioua Lekota) saying there is a meeting in the Northern Cape etc. There is a limit to which you could utilise ANC structures to destabilize the ANC," said Jacob Zuma, ANC President in response to Lekota's allegations.
    Lekota said on Monday (October 13) that his talks with a senior party official had not bridged differences.
    He says he will not comment on his suspension until he gets an official letter from the ANC and that he should have had a hearing before being suspended, while his deputy Mluleki says he hasn't even been officially informed of the move.
    The ANC has however hit back accusing the former defence minister of not knowing the party's constitution and says the two will not be allowed to participate in any activities of the party until all disciplinary processes have been concluded.
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