Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is concerned by media reports suggesting that he is canvassing support for election as president of the African National Congress (ANC), his office said on Monday.
“The deputy president's office wishes to state categorically that Deputy President Motlanthe, as a loyal and disciplined member of the ANC who respects its internal democratic processes, is not involved in any campaigning or lobbying for the presidency of the ANC and he has not spoken to anyone about his future role in the ANC.”
The office added that Motlanthe was more concerned with executing his responsibilities as deputy president of the ANC and as the deputy president of SA.
“His future role in the ANC will be determined by the ANC's national conference in 2012, when his current tenure expires.”
According to a report in The Sunday Independent, Motlanthe was said to have clandestinely indicated that he was available to take over from President Jacob Zuma should any group in the ANC prove that it had drummed up groundswell support for him in the run-up to the ruling party's elective conference in Mangaung next year. - I-Net Bridge