52nd National Conference of the African National Congress
Encyclopedia
The 52nd National Conference of the African National Congress
(ANC) was held in Polokwane
, Limpopo
from December 16 to December 20, 2007. It elected Jacob Zuma
and supporters to the party's top leadership and National Executive Committee
(NEC), representing a significant defeat for Thabo Mbeki
, then the party's incumbent president and president of the country.
The conference was significant as a precursor to the general election of 2009
, in which the newly-elected leader of the ANC, the current majority party in the national parliament, is highly likely to become the next President of South Africa
. (Thabo Mbeki resigned on 20 September 2008 and was replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe on 25 September 2008.) It was also the first leadership contest between two candidates at the national level since the 38th National Conference of the African National Congress in 1949, a watershed moment in the party's history when the moderate leadership was displaced by such figures as Nelson Mandela
, Oliver Tambo
and Walter Sisulu
.
Most ANC leaders initially claimed that no campaigns were underway for the party presidency, and that the party was united. By the start of the conference, however, it was clear that the party was deeply divided into Mbeki and Zuma camps. Media interest in the campaign was high, and given the controversies around Zuma, there was initially talk of "compromise candidates", with the names of Tokyo Sexwale
and Cyril Ramaphosa
mentioned, but ultimately none was forthcoming.
In June 2007, the ANC held its first National Policy Conference, a precursor meeting of various party officials and experts, to formulate future ANC policy.
The newly-elected National Executive Committee was also dominated by Zuma supporters. The conference also amended the ANC's constitution to increase the size of the NEC from 66 to 86, including the top six officials, and to enforce equal male and female representation in the NEC.
was elected president of the ANC.
Zuma, the incumbent deputy-president of the ANC and former deputy-president of South Africa, defeated Thabo Mbeki
, incumbent president of the ANC and president of South Africa. Tokyo Sexwale
, former premier of Gauteng
was earlier seen as a presidential hopeful, however he threw his support behind Zuma. Cyril Ramaphosa
, former Secretary-General of the ANC and trade union activist, Joel Netshitenzhe
, head of the Government Communication and Information Systems
, and Kgalema Motlanthe, incumbent Secretary-General of the ANC, were also mentioned as candidates, but did not stand.
.
Kgalema Motlanthe was sworn in as South Africa's interim president on 25 September 2008 following the ANC's NEC decision on 20 September 2008 "recalling" Thabo Mbeki
from the presidency.
was elected party Chairperson, defeating Joel Netshitenzhe
. Tokyo Sexwale
, previously a candidate, withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Mbete, who was speaker of the national parliament until she became deputy president of the country following Thabo Mbeki's resignation on 20 September 2008.
was elected Secretary-General, defeating Mosiuoa Lekota
. Lekota, who had taken a strong anti-Zuma stance in the runup to the conference, faced heckling from the conference.
. Baleka Mbete withdrew her candidacy after receiving Sexwale's endorsement for the position of Chairperson.
was elected Treasurer-General, defeating Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
, the country's deputy president (at the time) and Mbeki ally.
As a result, Gauteng
had its delegate allocation cut from 354 to 258 (plus 22 members of the provincial executive). Gauteng voted overwhelmingly in favour of Zuma at the nomination stage in November.
The Eastern Cape
provincial party branch, a Mbeki stronghold, lost 29 delegates out of a massive 928, But Zuma's power base of KwaZulu-Natal
lost only two delegates from its allocation. Its total came to 628.
As a result, the over-4,000 delegates who were to vote in a closed session for the six posts were reduced to over 3,900.
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC) was held in Polokwane
Polokwane
Polokwane, meaning "Place of Safety",is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name, Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. The population...
, Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
from December 16 to December 20, 2007. It elected Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
and supporters to the party's top leadership and National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee (African National Congress)
The ANC National Executive Committee is the chief executive organ of the South African political party, the African National Congress. It is elected at every National Conference; the executive committee, in turn, elects a National Working Committee for day-to-day decision-making responsibilities.On...
(NEC), representing a significant defeat for Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
, then the party's incumbent president and president of the country.
The conference was significant as a precursor to the general election of 2009
South African general election, 2009
South Africa held national and provincial elections to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each province on 22 April 2009....
, in which the newly-elected leader of the ANC, the current majority party in the national parliament, is highly likely to become the next President of South Africa
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
. (Thabo Mbeki resigned on 20 September 2008 and was replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe on 25 September 2008.) It was also the first leadership contest between two candidates at the national level since the 38th National Conference of the African National Congress in 1949, a watershed moment in the party's history when the moderate leadership was displaced by such figures as Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, Oliver Tambo
Oliver Tambo
Oliver Reginald Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the African National Congress .-Biography:Oliver Tambo was born in Bizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now Eastern Cape...
and Walter Sisulu
Walter Sisulu
Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu was a South African anti-apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress .-Family and Education:...
.
Buildup
The buildup to the 52nd conference saw an unprecedented rivalry for the presidency of the ANC between Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. Mbeki, required by the country's constitution to relinquish the country's presidency at the end of his second term in 2009, nonetheless chose to stand for a third term as party president, as the ANC has no limit on the number of terms as party president. Zuma, the party's deputy president, had been deputy president of the country until his dismissal by Mbeki in June 2005 following allegations of corruption. Zuma campaigned against Mbeki for the party's presidency in the run-up to the 2007 conference. From that position he would be in a very strong position to become the country's next president in 2009.Most ANC leaders initially claimed that no campaigns were underway for the party presidency, and that the party was united. By the start of the conference, however, it was clear that the party was deeply divided into Mbeki and Zuma camps. Media interest in the campaign was high, and given the controversies around Zuma, there was initially talk of "compromise candidates", with the names of Tokyo Sexwale
Tokyo Sexwale
Mosima Gabriel Sexwale , commonly known as Tokyo Sexwale , is the current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa. A South African businessman, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and former political prisoner. His nickname of "Tokyo" is derived from his involvement with the sport of...
and Cyril Ramaphosa
Cyril Ramaphosa
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African lawyer, trade union leader, activist, politician and businessman. He was born in Soweto, Gauteng province...
mentioned, but ultimately none was forthcoming.
In June 2007, the ANC held its first National Policy Conference, a precursor meeting of various party officials and experts, to formulate future ANC policy.
New party leadership
The 52nd conference elected Jacob Zuma as the new president of the ANC. All of the top six NEC positions (President, Deputy President, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, National Chairperson and Treasurer-General) went to Zuma supporters, representing a comprehensive defeat for Mbeki. A consistent 60%-40% margin in the votes for all these positions indicated that Zuma and Mbeki supporters had voted as a block on all the senior positions.The newly-elected National Executive Committee was also dominated by Zuma supporters. The conference also amended the ANC's constitution to increase the size of the NEC from 66 to 86, including the top six officials, and to enforce equal male and female representation in the NEC.
President
Jacob ZumaJacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
was elected president of the ANC.
Zuma, the incumbent deputy-president of the ANC and former deputy-president of South Africa, defeated Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
, incumbent president of the ANC and president of South Africa. Tokyo Sexwale
Tokyo Sexwale
Mosima Gabriel Sexwale , commonly known as Tokyo Sexwale , is the current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa. A South African businessman, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and former political prisoner. His nickname of "Tokyo" is derived from his involvement with the sport of...
, former premier of Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
was earlier seen as a presidential hopeful, however he threw his support behind Zuma. Cyril Ramaphosa
Cyril Ramaphosa
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African lawyer, trade union leader, activist, politician and businessman. He was born in Soweto, Gauteng province...
, former Secretary-General of the ANC and trade union activist, Joel Netshitenzhe
Joel Netshitenzhe
Joel Netshitenzhe was head of the policy and coordination advisory unit in the presidency until the end of December 2009...
, head of the Government Communication and Information Systems
Government Communication and Information Systems
The Government Communication and Information System is a South African government-owned corporation that is primarily charged with managing public communication of government actions and policy. It falls under the authority of the Ministry in The Presidency, which appoints the CEO of GCIS.The CEO...
, and Kgalema Motlanthe, incumbent Secretary-General of the ANC, were also mentioned as candidates, but did not stand.
Deputy President
Kgalema Motlanthe was elected deputy president of the ANC, defeating Nkosazana Dlamini-ZumaNkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma is a South African politician and was an anti-apartheid activist. She was South Africa's Minister of Health from 1994 to 1999, under President Nelson Mandela, then Minister of Foreign Affairs from 17 June 1999 to 10 May 2009, under Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema...
.
Kgalema Motlanthe was sworn in as South Africa's interim president on 25 September 2008 following the ANC's NEC decision on 20 September 2008 "recalling" Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
from the presidency.
Chairperson
Baleka MbeteBaleka Mbete
Baleka Mbete is the former Deputy President of South Africa. She was previously Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa from 2004 to 2008....
was elected party Chairperson, defeating Joel Netshitenzhe
Joel Netshitenzhe
Joel Netshitenzhe was head of the policy and coordination advisory unit in the presidency until the end of December 2009...
. Tokyo Sexwale
Tokyo Sexwale
Mosima Gabriel Sexwale , commonly known as Tokyo Sexwale , is the current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa. A South African businessman, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and former political prisoner. His nickname of "Tokyo" is derived from his involvement with the sport of...
, previously a candidate, withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Mbete, who was speaker of the national parliament until she became deputy president of the country following Thabo Mbeki's resignation on 20 September 2008.
Secretary-General
Gwede MantasheGwede Mantashe
Gwede Mantashe is a South African politician, holding posts of ANC secretary general and chairperson of the South African Communist Party.- Posts :...
was elected Secretary-General, defeating Mosiuoa Lekota
Mosiuoa Lekota
Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota is a South African politician who currently serves as the President and Leader of the Congress of the People since 16 December 2008. Previously, under President Thabo Mbeki, he served in the Cabinet of South Africa as Minister of Defence from 17 June 1999 to 25...
. Lekota, who had taken a strong anti-Zuma stance in the runup to the conference, faced heckling from the conference.
Deputy Secretary-General
Thandi Modise was elected Deputy Secretary-General, defeating Thoko DidizaThoko Didiza
Angela Thoko Didiza is a South African politician. She became Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs on 17 June 1999 and is currently the Minister of Public Works....
. Baleka Mbete withdrew her candidacy after receiving Sexwale's endorsement for the position of Chairperson.
Treasurer-General
Mathews PhosaMathews Phosa
Nakedi Mathews Phosa is a South African attorney and politician and was also an anti-apartheid activist. He is a former premier of Mpumalanga as well as a former member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress .Phosa was born in Mbombela township, Nelspruit...
was elected Treasurer-General, defeating Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a South African politician who was Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. She was the first woman to hold the position and was the highest ranking woman in the history of South Africa...
, the country's deputy president (at the time) and Mbeki ally.
Enforcement of decorum rules
The beginning of the conference was filled with cheers and jeers for the rival candidates for the presidency.Disqualification of delegates
On December 18, the credentials committee announced that it had disqualified a number of delegates from some of the provincial party committees because the meetings in which the delegates which nominated were not part of the quorum.As a result, Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
had its delegate allocation cut from 354 to 258 (plus 22 members of the provincial executive). Gauteng voted overwhelmingly in favour of Zuma at the nomination stage in November.
The Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
provincial party branch, a Mbeki stronghold, lost 29 delegates out of a massive 928, But Zuma's power base of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
lost only two delegates from its allocation. Its total came to 628.
As a result, the over-4,000 delegates who were to vote in a closed session for the six posts were reduced to over 3,900.