Renewed calls for Mbeki's third term

Published Apr 28, 2007

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The ANC's Eastern Cape leadership has renewed its call for President Thabo Mbeki to stand for a third term as party leader.

Provincial chairperson Stone Sizani asked the crowd at the opening of the party's provincial office in King William's Town on Friday what it was Mbeki needed to do.

Some within the crowd responded eagerly by holding three fingers in the air - representing three terms as ANC president.

The crowd roared with support when Mbeki responded humorously in isiXhosa that he had 10 fingers, not only three.

Playing up to the crowd using isiXhosa idioms Mbeki said, among other things, that he was born in the ANC and would die in the ANC.

Some within the crowd took this as confirmation that the president would consider a third term if nominated.

The call for Mbeki to stand for a third term echoed a controversial resolution of the party's provincial conference in 2006, which was disowned by several branches in the Eastern Cape.

That conference and the election of provincial leaders are the subject of an internal party battle in the province, including threatened legal action and appeals to the national headquarters, Luthuli House.

However, Sizani on Friday denied there was any real opposition in the province to the request. He said no deadline had been set for the president to indicate his willingness to stand, but he expected him to respond "sometime".

"Of course he can't make any official announcement until he is formally nominated," Sizani added.

This is expected in June at the party's provincial general council.

Sizani claimed those calling for Mbeki's nomination had "very serious support" from other provinces for him to stand for a third term and acknowledged there was also serious lobbying to get everyone on board.

He refused to say where the support came from, stating that it was impossible to speak on the behalf of other provinces.

It has, however, been rumoured that Gauteng will stand behind such a request.

"The branches of the ANC consider the president to uphold the principles of the ANC and he knows the current direction of the party which he takes at the right pace," Sizani said.

The ANC's constitution does not bar Mbeki from seeking a third term as party leader, unlike the country's constitution, which puts a ceiling on terms as head of state.

However, some within the party, including the ANCYL, are opposed to Mbeki's seeking re-election as party president at the end of the year, saying this would create two centres of power when a new head of state is elected in 2009.

Earlier this week Mbeki was faced with a similar question, this time from a KwaZulu-Natal journalist. The president remained silent, leaving ANC secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe to answer.

The last time Mbeki publicly said anything about the issue was in July 2005. In an interview with the SABC he did not rule out that if approached he might consider serving as ANC president for another term.

Those who are opposed to a third term for Mbeki include outgoing DA leader Tony Leon, who this week urged Mbeki not to consider it.

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