By Moshoeshoe Monare
There was a thunderous standing ovation, a praise song and a show of unity - but it was all stage-managed to preserve the dignity of President Thabo Mbeki.
So said three separate sources about the conclusion on Sunday of the ANC's four-day national general council meeting at the University of Pretoria.
However, ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama and other ANC spin doctors said the standing ovation was a sign of unity in the party and a vote of confidence in Mbeki.
The president, who dismissed his deputy Jacob Zuma last month after his financial adviser Schabir Shaik was convicted of bribing him, cut a lonely figure throughout the conference. He had to endure delegates singing songs in praise of Zuma, who has been charged with corruption.
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Delegates successfully demanded that Zuma, the party's deputy president be allowed to resume his duties in the ANC.
The reaction of delegates caught Mbeki and ANC leaders off guard after senior party leaders had assured the president that everything, except the "isolated, belligerent" KwaZulu Natal province, was fine.
According to sources, Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa convened a meeting of premiers and provincial ANC chairpersons on Saturday night to prevent Mbeki being further humiliated and to restore his dignity.
"That's the reason for the parade that you saw," said a delegate.
This was confirmed by three sources, but ANC Gauteng spokesperson Hope Papo denied any knowledge of such a meeting.
Apart from the meeting, there was also intense lobbying of delegates, especially militant ANC Youth League members, to accord Mbeki "the respect he deserves".
Shilowa's efforts worked wonders on Sunday. There was a tumultuous ovation for Mbeki when he took to the podium to close the conference, and for the first time there was a song lauding him.
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