South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is coming under intensepressure to resign after allegedly meddling in the graft case against JacobZuma, president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Zuma supportershave maintained that the corruption charges against him were politicallymotivated. They claim the recent expulsion of graft charges against Zuma by aSouth African judge citing political interference vindicatestheir claim.
Yesterday,South Africa's opposition parties unanimously called on President Mbeki torespond to accusations of meddling in Zuma's graft case. They say Mbeki'sfailure to do so should be grounds for his dismissal. Rok Ajulu is aprofessor of international relations in South Africa. He tells reporter PeterClottey from the capital, Pretoria that critics of Mbeki have been strengthenedby the verdict in Zuma's corruption case.
"Since the judgment onFriday, it was mostly the ANC alliance that is COSATU (Congress)SACP (South African Communist Party) and the ANC Youth League, which haveactually asked for Mbeki to resign as a result of the judgment or the recall ofMbeki by the ANC, but that is basically nothing new. The judgment has actuallystrengthened that call. After Polokwane, the youth league and those criticshave been calling for it, but the leadership of the ANC has said that Mbekimust be allowed to complete his term. So, we are watching the scene as well andwaiting for how it is going to pan out," Ajulu pointed out.
He said it was highlyunlikely that the decision-making body of the ruling party would force Mbeki tostep down as president before his term expires.
"If you were to ask me, Iwould say that I don't think the leadership is going to be as irresponsible asrecalling Mbeki. It would cause a lot of instability in the run up to theelection. Secondly, it is fraught with uncertainty because to recall Mbeki, youhave to have a vote of no confidence in South Africa's parliament and the Zumafaction is not quite sure if they can map up a two thirds of the ANC," he said.
Ajulu said calls by theopposition for Mbeki to resign received a significant boost by some partisansof the ruling party.
"The point is within the ANCitself there have been these calls. These calls have bee now furtherstrengthened by the judgment, which has indicated or implied that Thabo Mbekias president interfered with the prosecution to make sure that Zuma wascharged. Zuma has been claiming that all along, but up to now it has beenspeculation, but now that it has been pronounced by the judge, a judicialofficer. It has taken a prominence of strengthening the hands of those peoplewho are consistently said that there was a political conspiracy against Zuma,"Ajulu pointed out.
He said the latest call bythe opposition for President Mbeki to step down is a political game, whichmakes them relevant in the internal political climate in South Africa.
"Naturally the oppositionwould do that particularly with six months to the election. If you are in theopposition and you didn't do that then you would be hurting yourself. But ifthe ANC decided that Mbeki should continue with his term, I don't think theposition by the opposition matters on this because the opposition is sominiscule that what they can do is make noises. So, the real player is going tobe the ANC," he said.
Ajulu denied that the rulingparty has failed to defend President Mbeki with the recent escalation of callsfor his resignation.
"The ANC has defended Mbekiin the past. After the immediate post- Polokwane period, there were calls forMbeki to resign. And the ANC came out with a statement categorically statingthat Mbeki would be allowed to continue with his term. But the ANC has saidthat they are going to issue a statement on Friday after the ANC NationalExecutive Committee meeting. I broadly expect that statement is going toconfirm earlier statements, which says that Mbeki would be allowed to completehis term," Ajulu noted.
Meanwhile, the rulingANC's National Working Committee has reportedly been meeting to discuss acourse of action after the allegations against Mbeki were made. The youth wingof the ANC reportedly said Tuesday that it would lobby the ruling party'sNational Executive Committee to adopt a resolution to remove Mbeki. Thecommittee is due to meet over the weekend.