Bdfm News Online
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
MINISTER in the Presidency Essop Pahad has rejected claims that he has endorsed businessman Tokyo Sexwale's bid to become president of the African National Congress (ANC) later this year.
Responding to media reports that at least three cabinet ministers had asked Sexwale to make himself available for the party's presidency, Pahad yesterday said he had not held a meeting with the businessman on the matter. "It needs to be said that there is no truth whatsoever in the claim that I have had talks with Tokyo Sexwale in relation to this matter, as reported."
Sexwale himself has also rejected the speculative reports about his plans in politics, describing them as "kite-flying".
"The articles are spurious," he said through a spokesman yesterday. "They are kite-flying, nothing more than a red herring, and we treat them with disdain."
Sexwale's spokesman, Chris Vick, said it was not surprising that articles of such a "speculative" nature would appear in newspapers reporting on the ANC presidential race.
"It is predictable that such articles will be published in anticipation of this year's ANC conference, even though the true nature of the ANC's election procedures is well known."
Late last year, Business Day's sister newspaper, The Weekender, reported that speculation was rife that Sexwale, former premier of Gauteng, was planning a return to politics.
This was after he sold a portion of his mining company, Mvelaphanda Resources, and started scaling down his day-to-day involvement in the business.
A political comeback for Sexwale, possibly as a candidate to succeed President Thabo Mbeki, has long been rumoured.
Based on tensions between Mbeki and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, it has been argued that the ruling party could decide to look for compromise candidates to succeed Mbeki, especially since Zuma's candidature has reportedly been tainted by looming corruption charges.
Sexwale has reportedly been speaking to the camps of both Mbeki and Zuma, punting himself as a compromise candidate.
Pahad said reports of his alleged meeting with Sexwale were extending "the silly season of wild reporting about the presidential succession race".
"That is the right of the media, if they wish to pre-empt procedures and risk making asses of themselves.
"Mischievous attempts to report falsely on the matter, whether to create factions or achieve other ends, will have nil influence on the course of events," Pahad said.
The tested processes to elect the ANC president would unfold in due course and follow ANC rules and conventions. With Sapa