Party leaders believe president's position is untenable after court rules he influenced prosecutors against rival

The Guardian Online

Thabo Mbeki, the South African president, could be removed from office within days and replaced by an interim leader, it was reported today.

Local media said senior African National Congress (ANC) figures had decided Mbeki's position was untenable after a court found that he influenced prosecutors to bring fraud and corruption charges against his rival and successor as the party's president, Jacob Zuma.
 
The Johannesburg newspaper Business Day reported that the ANC's powerful national working committee (NWC) resolved on Monday to lobby for Mbeki's resignation, and that senior party leaders were discussing an exit strategy with Mbeki.
 
The website news24.com said Mbeki could be replaced by Baleka Mbete, the speaker of the national assembly, within days.
 
The party's national executive (NEC) is due to meet tomorrow to discuss Mbeki's future. The NWC's resolution has been sent to the executive, according to Business Day.
 
But the party's national spokeswoman, Jessie Duarte, yesterday said it was premature to speculate about Mbeki's removal.
 
"This is too important an issue and no one except the NEC can take this decision. Rumours that the leadership has already made a decision are nonsense," she told news24.com.
 
Mbeki's position has come under pressure after a judge last week upheld claims by Zuma, who replaced Mbeki as ANC president and is almost certain to replace him as the country's leader, that charges levelled against him were politically motivated.
 
Throwing out the case against Zuma, judge Chris Nicholson expressed concern that prosecutors were influenced by members of Mbeki's cabinet and said it was "improbable" the ministers had acted without Mbeki's knowledge and agreement.
 
Yesterday's decision of the national prosecuting authority to seek leave to appeal against Nicholson's judgment has only added to the fury of Zuma's supporters. The ANC youth league has publicly said it will press the NEC to remove Mbeki and that a majority of NEC members want Mbeki removed.
 
Zuma, who heads the NWC, initially showed caution about removing Mbeki. He has refused to comment on the latest round of media reports.
 
Business Day reported sources close to Mbeki as saying he would launch a "multi-pronged fightback campaign".
 
The South African government spokesman Themba Maseko today said Mbeki and his cabinet were considering a legal challenge to part of Nicholson's judgment.
 
"Cabinet has decided to seek legal advice on the inferences made by judge Nicholson that President Thabo Mbeki and the executive interfered with the NPA regarding the decision to prosecute Mr Jacob Zuma," he said.

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Kagiso Kgadie  - Let the President Complete his term |2008-09-21 08:16:32 There are seven months left of President Mbeki's term. Why on earth are the Zuma supporters so eager to throw him off his 'thrown'. It seems as if they are too excited, they want the President replaced by Madam Speaker who also seems to be in that camp. What difference will it make to wait until the right time for the proper hand-over. I think that the ANC needs to focus it efforts on their election campaign instead of infighting. There are many South Africans who will vote for opposition and this should threaten the ANC. The Cape Town constituency belonging to the DA should be an example of what may happen in April in many other areas. They are too concerned with thier reputations and they are neglecting their campaign. Complacency is a killer and the ANC have thier eyes set on removing Mbeki and not improving their game. 0   0

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