Analysts pick ANC dream team

South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has hit the ground running as new chairwoman of the AU Commission at her first summit in Addis Ababa. File photo: Reuters

South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has hit the ground running as new chairwoman of the AU Commission at her first summit in Addis Ababa. File photo: Reuters

Published Dec 14, 2012

Share

Johannesburg -

AU Commissioner Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale would lead the ANC if the wishes of three political analysts who picked a dream top six for The Star were to be honoured.

The trio would be flanked by senior ANC leaders elected not because of factionalism and loyalty to individual’s leaders, but because of hard work, moral standing and exemplary leadership.

According to newly appointed Wits University vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib, Unisa’s Professor Lesiba Teffo and the University of Pretoria’s Prince Mashele, the three “dream” ANC presidents would be surrounded by senior party leaders.

They included Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and current and former national executive committee (NEC) members such as Jabu Moleketi, Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile, Joe Netshitenzhe, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba, Pallo Jordan and Jessie Duarte.

The dream team would be considered for the top six positions for reasons ranging from exemplary leadership to their representing a better future for the country. There would be no place for ANC NEC member and businessman Cyril Ramaphosa.

In his dream top six, Teffo picked Dlamini-Zuma to take over from President Jacob Zuma, with Motlanthe, Mantashe, Manuel, Gigaba and Mbalula being part of the collective without necessarily giving them specific positions. He would consider generational mix, experience and moral standing, he said.

“I certainly think they will benefit more if Dlamini-Zuma were to be called back and be invited to lead the ANC. She probably could pull it together and restore the shattered image and the fractured bones.

“Those who went into BEE, leave them out, because in my opinion, they sold out to the extent that they concentrate more on amassing wealth rather than collecting and distributing it,” Teffo said.

He added: “You cannot as a comrade and former unionist, or Robben Islander, accumulate a billion rand within five years and still think that in the eyes of the poor you are still the champion of their cause.”

Habib wanted Motlanthe to lead, with Dlamini-Zuma as his deputy, Moleketi as treasurer, Jordan as national chairman, Mantashe as secretary-general and either Mbalula or Duarte as his deputy. He said Motlanthe would make a better president, unlike Zuma, who had been dodged by both sexual and financial scandals.

“That is unbecoming for a president of the country,” he said. He added that Jordan was suitable for the chairpersonship because “you need an elder in that position, someone significant like Jordan”.

 

Mashele wanted Sexwale as president, Dlamini-Zuma as deputy president, Netshitenzhe as secretary-general, Moleketi as treasurer, Mashatile as chairman and Gigaba as deputy secretary.

“All of them come from the thinking club of the ANC. Moral integrity. All of them represent a better future of South Africa and can be international. Young people can wish to be like them. Those are my criteria,” Mashele said.

[email protected]; [email protected]

The Star

Related Topics: