IN ITS report on its four-day lekgotla, the ANC appears to have done what President Jacob Zuma has been unable to do - express a commitment to find those responsible for the mess-up in education.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe spoke about the party's determination to resolve the textbook crisis in Limpopo.

More importantly, he spoke about the determination to hold officials accountable and, he promised, there would be no "holy cows" when determining guilt.

The reference to holy cows must certainly relate to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

Zuma has exonerated Motshekga, saying she could not have known about what was happening in Limpopo because she is stuck in an office in Pretoria.

The divergent views within the ANC - a secretary-general aggressively stating that heads must roll and a president protecting his minister - must surely create a measure of tension within the ruling party.

Not only has Motshekga been a staunch Zuma supporter, she is also the president of the ANC Women's League. Furthermore, her husband, Mathole Motshekga, is the ANC's chief whip in Parliament.

But perhaps the party has been driven to action against one of its own - not for a party infraction, but for failure to decisively carry out her government job - because of the negative image it holds for the ANC.

Education has been declared one of the key areas of focus for the Zuma administration.

With the repeated emphasis on improving South Africa's education system, it would be foolhardy to retain a minister who is incapable of leading from the front.

The most vexing aspect of replacing Motshekga must be the problem of choosing a successor. The education portfolio appears to be a poisoned chalice for anyone brave enough to take the job.