VZCZCXRO8092
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #4242/01 3551620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211620Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3023
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 004242
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SF
SUBJECT: ZUMA CAMP DOMINATES ANC NEC ELECTION; MBEKI ALLIES
DEFEATED
REF: A. PRETORIA 4217
B. PRETORIA 4229
C. PRETORIA 4218
This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
1. (SBU) Supporters of newly-elected African National
Congress (ANC) President Jacob Zuma dominated the elections
for the party's National Executive Council (NEC), the ANC's
central policymaking body (see para 6 for full results).
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela received the most votes for the NEC
(2,845), a largely sentimental vote for the much-loved
Madikizela-Mandela, followed by Minister of Transport Jeff
Radebe (2,716) and Minister of Social Development Zola
Skweyiya (2,700). A number of key allies of President Mbeki,
including sixteen Cabinet members, lost their NEC positions.
However, despite earlier speculation that he might lose,
Mbeki ally and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel was reelected
to the Council (in position 57 of 80), as were prominent
businessman Cyril Ramaphosa (position 30), and presidential
policy advisor Joel Netshitenzhe (position 73). ANC
presidential candidate and recent Zuma supporter Tokyo
Sexwale garnered 2,198 votes, finishing in 10th position.
2. (SBU) Among the prominent ANC members and Mbeki allies
defeated for reelection to the NEC were:
-- DefMin Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota, previously ANC Chairman
and the Mbeki camp candidate for ANC Secretary General, who
publicly attacked Jacob Zuma in the weeks leading up to the
ANC conference;
-- Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Mbeki camp's
candidate for ANC Treasurer General, whose husband led the
initial corruption investigation of Zuma;
-- Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad and his brother
DepForMin Aziz Pahad, both long-time Mbeki confidantes;
-- Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils and Minister of
Public Enterprises Alex Erwin, two of three white ANC
Ministers (the other, former New National Party leader and
Minister of Environment and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk,
was not nominated);
-- Minister of Public Works Thokozile Didiza (Mbeki camp
candidate for ANC Deputy Secretary General); Minister of
Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi; Minister of
Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi;
Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa; and Deputy
Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi; and
-- Director General in the Presidency Frank Chikane; head of
the ANC Presidency Smuts Ngonyama; and businessman and key
Mbeki ally Saki Macozoma.
3. (SBU) Other developments of note:
-- ANC delegates reelected to the NEC ForMin Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma (position 35), despite her support for Mbeki
during the presidential campaign. DepForMin Sue van der
Merwe (position 54) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Deputy Director General for Africa Multilateral Jesse Duarte
(position 6) were also elected.
-- Controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was
reelected (position 55), although she was outpolled by her
former deputy Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, a first-time NEC
member (position 33). Mbeki fired Madlala-Routledge in
August 2007, ostensibly for traveling without his permission,
although most analysts believe her outspoken criticism of SAG
HIV/AIDS policies led to her dismissal.
-- Other ministers who retained their NEC positions include
Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan (position 4), Housing
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu (position 7), Justice Minister
Bridgette Mabandla (position 9), Sports Minister Makhenkesi
QBridgette Mabandla (position 9), Sports Minister Makhenkesi
Stofile (position 12), Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe
Mapisa-Nqakula (position 68), and Education Minister Naledi
Pandor (position 74).
-- Only one of the nine provincial premiers, KwaZulu-Natal
Premier Sbu Ndebele, was reelected to the NEC (position 75).
PRETORIA 00004242 002 OF 003
4. (U) This is the largest ANC NEC in history, with 86
members; it is also for the first time comprised of 50
percent women. (NOTE: The NEC comprises of the six ANC
leadership positions, elected December 18 (ref A), plus the
80 other members. END NOTE.) Both the expanded size and
mandatory gender parity were approved by conference delegates
earlier in the week. Due to the gender requirement, 43 of
the 69 women nominated to the NEC were elected, as opposed to
43 of the 96 men.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: With the NEC election, the Zuma camp has
largely completed its takeover of the ANC party structures
from Mbeki and his allies. It is encouraging that the ANC
delegates voted for FinMin Manuel and ANC policy advisor
Netshitenzhe, both impressive technocrats, despite their
pro-Mbeki leanings. While the ideological center of the NEC
has moved to left, we do not expect major changes in ANC or
SAG policy, at least in the short-term (refs B and C). The
current crop of SAG ministers, including those voted off the
NEC, will remain in cabinet and in control of their
portfolios until national parliamentary elections, currently
expected in March/April 2009. Furthermore, just because an
ANC member is not on the NEC does not mean s/he might not
emerge in a key position in the next administration. Should
Zuma succeed in winning the national presidency in 2009,
Zuma's aides have told us that they intend to widen the
separation between party and government and would pick at
least some members of Zuma's cabinet from outside the ANC
NEC. END COMMENT.
6. (U) Following are the results of the ANC National
Executive Committee elections, released December 20:
1. MANDELA, Winnie 2845 votes received
2. RADEBE, Jeff 2716
3. SKWEYIYA, Zola 2700
4. JORDAN, Pallo 2645
5. CRONIN, Jeremy 2519
6. DUARTE, Jessie 2448
7. SISULU, Lindiwe 2384
8. MTHEMBI-MAHANYELE, Sankie 2291
9. MABANDLA, Brigitte 2235
10. SEXWALE, Tokyo 2198
11. NZIMANDE, Blade 2157
12. STOFILE, Makhenkesi 2151
13. GIGABA, Malusi 2144
14. MAGASHULE, Ace 2121
15. MBALULA, Fikile 2116
16. MOOSA, Valli 2110
17. POTGIETER-GQUBULE, Febe 2091
18. CHABANE, Collins 2043
19. SISULU, Max 2041
20. RAMATLHODI, Ngoako 2034
21. YENGENI, Tony 2032
22. NYANDA, Siphiwe 2005
23. HANEKOM, Derek 1996
24. MKHIZE, Zweli 1976
25. EBRAHIM, Ebrahim 1964
26. CELE, Bheki 1950
27. MFEKETO, Nomaindia 1943
28. MASETLHA, Billy 1937
29. DLAMINI, Bathabile 1933
30. RAMAPHOSA, Cyril 1910
31. YENGENI, Lumka 1907
32. MOTSHEKGA, Angie 1906
33. MADLALA-ROUTLEDGE, Nozizwe 1905
34. GODONGWANA, Enoch 1891
35. DLAMINI ZUMA, Nkosazana 1885
36. SHABANGU, Susan 1775
37. MOKONYANE, Nomvula 1756
38. PULE, Dina 1730
39. BHENGU, Ruth 1729
40. PHAAHLA, Joe 1726
41. BOOI, Nyami 1709
42. MABUDAFHASI, Joyce 1698
43. ZULU, Lindiwe 1682
44. TOBIAS, Thandi 1675
45. LOVE, Janet 1670
46. SHOPE-MAFOLE, Lyndall 1642
47. DLODLO, Ayanda 1641
48. MTHETHWA, Nathi 1629
49. BROWN, Lynne 1623
50. KONDLO, Ncumisa 1619
51. MTINTSO, Thenjiwe 1616
52. XASA, Fikile 1615
PRETORIA 00004242 003 OF 003
53. MOTSHEKGA, Mathole 1613
54. VAN DER MERWE, Sue 1593
55. TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, Manto 1591
56. MOTSOALEDI, Aaron 1591
57. MANUEL, Trevor 1590
58. MTHEMBU, Jackson 1590
59. TOLASHE, Sisisi 1574
60. MABUZA, David 1572
61. SHICEKA, Sicelo 1532
62. CAPA LANGA, Zoleka 1506
63. MASHAMBA, Joyce 1497
64. MANANA, Sibongile 1496
65. JENKINS, Hazel 1496
66. MUFAMADI, Thaba 1496
67. LOBE, Charlotte 1494
68. MAPISA-NQAKULA, Nosiviwe 1490
69. MASUALLE, Phumulo 1484
70. MOLOI-MOROPA, Joyce 1470
71. MORULE, Playfair 1468
72. DUMA, Ndleleni 1447
73. NETSHITENZHE, Joel 1437
74. PANDOR, Naledi 1431
75. NDEBELE, Sibusiso 1427
76. MAGADZI, Dikeledi 1424
77. NTWANAMBI, Nosipho 1403
78. JOEMAT-PETTERSON, Tina 1369
79. MAYENDE-SIBIYA, Noluthando 1345
80. NKOANA-MASHABANE, Maite 1337
BOST