'No entertaining alliance demands'

The ANC has rebuffed attempts by its alliance partners to secure for themselves a bigger role in the "deployment" of premiers and mayors.

In his review of the state of the party, secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said that the ANC would continue to consult its leftist allies when assigning people to key positions in the government and other state entities, but the final decision was the ANC's.

He said demands by some alliance partners for the right to veto appointments would not be entertained.

"This is either a reflection of the extent of frustration stemming from exclusion of alliance partners from the work of deployment committees or outright mischief," Mantashe said.

"Instead of trying to use tricks that can cause more confusion, the alliance must deal with the real problems. The policy is clear that alliance partners are invited to participate in and influence ANC deployment committees."

He said the tendency of some ministers to appoint senior executives or board members to key state institutions without consultation was worrying. He said that when shortcuts were taken in deployment it made it difficult for the party to intervene when there was a problem.

• Mantashe said the ANC wants at least half the white electorate to vote for it.