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| ANC ponders future without Mbeki | ANC ponders future without Mbeki |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| Members of South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) are gathering for a major policy conference over the next four days. | Members of South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) are gathering for a major policy conference over the next four days. |
| But the event is being overshadowed by the question of who will succeed Thabo Mbeki as the party's leader, and become the next president of the country. | But the event is being overshadowed by the question of who will succeed Thabo Mbeki as the party's leader, and become the next president of the country. |
| He is expected to step down in December after 10 years at the ANC helm. | He is expected to step down in December after 10 years at the ANC helm. |
| Whoever replaces Mr Mbeki as ANC leader will be the front-runner for the presidency of the country in 2009. | Whoever replaces Mr Mbeki as ANC leader will be the front-runner for the presidency of the country in 2009. |
| Some 1,500 ANC delegates are meeting to discuss a range of policy documents, but the leadership succession battle has already begun behind the scenes. | |
| Two people - the ANC deputy leader, Jacob Zuma, and the business tycoon, Tokyo Sexwale - have shown an interest, although in keeping with party tradition, they are not actively campaigning. | Two people - the ANC deputy leader, Jacob Zuma, and the business tycoon, Tokyo Sexwale - have shown an interest, although in keeping with party tradition, they are not actively campaigning. |
| They must first be nominated by ANC branches around the country. | They must first be nominated by ANC branches around the country. |
| The leadership race is, however, still wide open and other candidates are certain to emerge in the coming months. | The leadership race is, however, still wide open and other candidates are certain to emerge in the coming months. |
| The ANC has been experiencing serious internal division, and there is a strained relationship with its traditional alliance partners - the trade unions and the South African Communist Party. | The ANC has been experiencing serious internal division, and there is a strained relationship with its traditional alliance partners - the trade unions and the South African Communist Party. |
| Much of the debate has centred around the widening gap in South Africa between rich and poor. | Much of the debate has centred around the widening gap in South Africa between rich and poor. |