afrol News, 19 September - Leaders of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) are meeting over next three days to decide whether or not to sack president Thabo Mbeki, following allegations that he tried to pressure prosecutors to charge ANC leader Jacob Zuma with graft.

Corruption case against Mr Zuma was thrown out of court last week. Some of Mr Zuma's supporters reportedly argue that president Mbeki should now go or be forced from office.

Mr Mbeki's fate is in hands of party's 86-member national executive committee that starts meeting today in Johannesburg, according to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.

If party decides to oust him, analysts say it can use its majority in parliament to dismiss him as president for wrongdoing or pass a vote of no confidence in his government.

"This is most serious challenge Mr Mbeki has ever faced. It's a serious crisis of government," said Susan Booysen, politics lecturer at University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Mr Zuma, 66, replaced Mr Mbeki as ANC president in December, 10 days before fraud and corruption charges against him were reinstated.

Judge Chris Nicholson nullified charges on 12 September, arguing that prosecutors did not follow proper procedures and that case may have been politically motivated.

ANC's influential youth league reportedly says Mr Mbeki's administration has proved that he is unfit to hold office and that it has backing of party's executive committee to topple him.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is said to be contemplating appealing judge Nicholson's ruling.

Mr Mbeki's cabinet yesterday reportedly said it was seeking legal advice with a view to having judge's comments struck from public record.

Suggestions that president tried to influence process are "damaging to integrity of institution of presidency and other organs of state,'' Mr Mbeki's office said in an e-mailed statement today.

Statement said, "prosecutors neither met nor communicated with president or any official in presidency before making its determination."

Mr Mbeki, 66, became South Africa's second-ever black president in 1999, replacing Nelson Mandela who led ANC to victory in country's first all-race elections in 1994.

His government has eliminated budget deficit and sold stakes in state companies such as Telkom South Africa Ltd.

Those decisions, and his dismissal of Mr Zuma as vice president in 2005, reportedly angered biggest labour unions and ANC's communist allies. Both groups were instrumental in propelling party leader to power.

Mr Mbeki's attempts to try and concentrate power in his office are said to have undermined his popularity, a situation compounded by his decision to seek a third term as ANC leader.

His approval rating slipped to 37 percent in June, from a peak of 66 percent in April 2005, according to a survey of 2,000 people carried out in the main cities by TNS Research Surveys.

"Mr Mbeki is yesterday's man, he's a broken reed. If emotions reign, then I think Mr Mbeki will be out. All of those who have been injured by him are seething and want vengeance," Robert Schrire, a politics professor at University of Cape Town said.

ANC dominates South African politics, having won almost 70 percent of vote in last elections in 2004.

New elections have to be held before end of next July, after which Mr Mbeki is expected to step down, after serving a maximum two terms.

Under constitution, two thirds of lawmakers can vote to dismiss president on grounds that he violated law, is guilty of serious misconduct or is unable to perform his duties.

A simple majority of lawmakers may force president and his cabinet from office through a vote of no confidence, or by agreeing to disband parliament and hold new elections within three months.

ANC controls 297 of 400 seats in National Assembly.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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