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ANC considers post-Mbeki future Mbeki urges end to successor talk
(about 7 hours later)
Members of South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) are gathering for a major policy conference over the next four days. South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has warned members of the governing African National Congress that they are not meeting to choose his successor.
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. Delegates in the hall were seen parading posters of a front-runner and the former vice-president, Jacob Zuma.
He is expected to step down in December after 10 years at the ANC helm. The four-day policy conference is threatening to be overshadowed by the question of who succeeds him after 10 years as party leader in December.
Whoever replaces Mr Mbeki as ANC leader will be the front-runner for the presidency of the country in 2009. They would then be the favourite to be president of the country in 2009 polls.
Lobbying "This policy conference... has nothing to do with who is or will be a leader of the African National Congress (ANC)," he told the 1,500 members gathered in Midrand.
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. HAVE YOUR SAY Although Mr Zuma has very good political clout in the ANC, my take would be on Cyril Ramaphosa, who quietly left the scene for Thabo Mbeki to function effectively Manney Utoms, Lagos, Nigeria class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6721&edition=2&ttl=20070627105647">Send us your comments
The ANC is open to acknowledging even some of the most difficult issues around existing antagonism Tokyo Sexwale class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6749029.stm">Unions flex their muscles class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6721&edition=2&ttl=20070627105647">Have Your Say Mr Zuma, who is still ANC deputy leader, 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. The ANC has dominated South African politics since it ended white rule 13 years ago, but observers say there is increasing dissatisfaction with the growing gap between rich and poor, at a time when the economy is booming.
They must first be nominated by ANC branches around the country. Addressing the conference, President Mbeki said there was a limit to what the ANC could achieve in the time it had been in power:
The leadership race is still wide open and other candidates are certain to emerge in the coming months. "It is not possible to solve problems that have accumulated over 350 years in a mere 13 years of our democracy."
Mr Mbeki and his ANC deputy Mr Zuma are putting up a united front
Mr Sexwale also made a plea to the ANC for the race to be open and honest.
"There is a growing tendency to carry out dirty character assassinations and the dissemination of lies about other comrades. This has reached uncontrollable proportions," he said quoting from an internal ANC document warning of the danger of dishonest politics.
The ANC leader must first be nominated by ANC branches around the country and other candidates are certain to emerge in the coming months.
But BBC reporters in Johannesburg say all the key candidates will be lobbying very hard over the next four days if they want to succeed.But BBC reporters in Johannesburg say all the key candidates will be lobbying very hard over the next four days if they want to succeed.
"We go into both conferences - the June and December conference - with an open mind as exemplified by the various policy discussion documents already distributed ahead of the conference to enable robust debates," Mr Sexwale said.
"Contrary to speculations from our critics, the ANC is open to acknowledging even some of the most difficult issues around existing antagonisms and tensions which threaten to undermine our very own organisational unity."
DivisionsDivisions
The ANC has been experiencing serious internal division, and there is a strained relationship with its traditional alliance partners - the Congress of South African 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 Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party.
Jacob Zuma remains a contender despite his legal battles The ANC is open to acknowledging even some of the most difficult issues around existing antagonism Tokyo Sexwale class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6749029.stm">Unions flex their muscles
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.
An ongoing strike by public servants, which has so far cost the economy an estimated $418m, is among them.An ongoing strike by public servants, which has so far cost the economy an estimated $418m, is among them.
Earlier Mr Sexwale said the various policy discussion documents promised robust debate.
"Contrary to speculations from our critics, the ANC is open to acknowledging even some of the most difficult issues around existing antagonisms and tensions which threaten to undermine our very own organisational unity."
The demands from the left of the governing coalition have created tensions within the business-friendly wing of the ANC led by President Mbeki.The demands from the left of the governing coalition have created tensions within the business-friendly wing of the ANC led by President Mbeki.
Policies that will be discussed in the four-day conference will help determine whether or not the ANC will rule successfully in the next decade or so, our reporters say.Policies that will be discussed in the four-day conference will help determine whether or not the ANC will rule successfully in the next decade or so, our reporters say.
As the continent's economic power house, the way the party resolves its internal tensions will have an impact on the business climate, he says. As the continent's economic power house, the way the party resolves its internal tensions will have an impact on the business climate, they say.