S Africa: Winnie makes comeback in ANC vote

Submitted by Pierre:

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has emerged as the top candidate in the vote for the national executive committee (NEC) of South Africa's governing party.
African National Congress (ANC) members voted in the 80-member NEC after sacked Deputy President Jacob Zuma defeated President Thabo Mbeki as party leader.

Some of Mr Mbeki's closest allies failed to make it onto the NEC.

In his first public comments since his defeat, Mr Mbeki said he did not plan to step down early as president.

"I would expect the government to serve its term until the elections in 2009," Mr Mbeki said at a news conference at government headquarters in Pretoria.

ANC COMMITTEE IN:
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Tony Yengeni, former chief whip, convicted of corruption
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, sacked deputy health minister
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (known as Dr Beetroot)
OUT - Mbeki loyalists:
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota
Pahad brothers

Mr Mbeki said that he planned to work with his rival, whom he said had given "a summary of the way forward, to which all members of the ANC need to respond positively".

But Mr Zuma faces corruption charges, which prosecutors say are imminent. He has said he is ready to go to court to clear his name.

Referring to the allegations, Mr Mbeki said: "All of us in the ANC have insisted, even... Zuma himself, that the law must take its course."

Mr Zuma's supporters have always said the charges are a political conspiracy against him.

Conviction

Ms Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, was endorsed by 2,845 of the 3,605 delegates to the conference in the northern town of Polokwane.

She has not been active in the ANC since 2003, when she was convicted of fraud.

Earlier this month she stepped back into the spotlight when she proposed a face-saving compromise deal between Mr Mbeki and Mr Zuma - a suggestion that was not taken up.

JACOB ZUMA
Played key role in fight against apartheid
Plagued by corruption allegations
Acquitted on rape charges
Seen as charismatic

A prominent activist against apartheid during her then husband's imprisonment, Ms Madikizela-Mandela was convicted of kidnapping in 1991, in connection with the disappearance of a teenage activist who was subsequently found murdered.

The election of the NEC on Thursday follows the election earlier this week of Mr Zuma and five of his allies to the party's most senior positions.

Among the prominent Mbeki allies who did not make it onto the NEC were national Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad and his brother, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad.

Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka was appointed by Mr Mbeki after he fired Mr Zuma in response to corruption charges in 2005.

Source Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7155344.stm

Posted By: JoAn
*AfricanCrisis Volunteer*

Date Posted: Saturday 22-Dec-2007
Hey, she has all the necessary qualifications being a convicted criminal and not to be trusted with your kids re-Stompie and the other teenager that was murdered by her "football club" plus her conviction for kidnapping. Then the many fraud convictions.

Look out SA, just when you thought it was going to get worse, you suddenly realise you are right. Lock up the taxpayer's money.

Brian & Beverlee Deller
Marbella
Spain

Date Posted: Saturday 22-Dec-2007
birds of a feather flock together. Rubbish seeks rubbish. Ever since 1994, violence-driven criminals like these are being elected as 'leaders' in SA and then they just proceed to loot whatever they can get their hands on. Meanwhile the trough is of course getting emptier and emptier and so the pigs are becoming greedier and greedier to get their snouts into the country's wealth.

She's already spending a lot more money then she ever officially has earned: just take a look at Mama Winnie's lavish house on the "ANC Elite" picture page of http://groups.msn.com/crimebustersofsouthafri....

adrianastuijt@knid.nl
Dokkum
the Netherlands