'Comrade DD' Mabuza blames Motlanthe for ANC mess

Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza has taken a swipe at former president Kgalema Motlanthe, accusing him of creating "disorder" and division in the ANC by challenging President Jacob Zuma five years ago.

In an interview with the Sunday Times in Nelspruit this week, the powerful ANC Mpumalanga provincial chairman also fired a broadside at Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying his statement that he was available for nomination for the party's top job had been "unnecessary".

A buoyant Mabuza, who is among those eyeing a top position at the ANC's elective conference in December, said Motlanthe deepened divisions within the ANC when he openly challenged a president who still had another term to serve in both the party and in government.

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Mabuza said Motlanthe "broke the ANC tradition" of a deputy president awaiting their turn to take over.    

"The tradition has been broken ... You must be disciplined and hold your desire to break into a bigger position [otherwise] you will break those traditions. It's immaterial that there's a certain quota of people that says he's not doing fine ... if there's still a majority that says the president must remain, stay calm.

"I can't be the one that will lead a different group that will challenge the president ... no [because] then you're breaking the tradition.

"You are creating disorder at the top ... Yes, he [Motlanthe] created disorder."

Speaking through his spokesman Dan Motaung, Motlanthe said he had no comment on Mabuza's statement.

Motlanthe told Johannesburg radio station PowerFM last month that his decision to stand against Zuma had been based on principle because ANC branches had nominated him.

Mabuza is no bystander in the ANC succession race. He is said to be a member of the "premier league" - a group of ANC leaders who are pushing for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed Zuma in return for their own election to the party's top-six positions. The group includes North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and Ace Magashule of the Free State. The group is believed to control several ANC structures, including the women's and youth leagues.

Youth league deputy president Desmond Moela, an official in Mabuza's office, has previously confirmed to the Sunday Times that he was campaigning for his boss to succeed Zuma.

Mabuza's name also appears as preferred deputy president on ANC national chairwoman Baleka Mbete's slate of top-six leaders.

block_quotes_start If there was a failure to attain unity prior to the party's elections in December, we're going to collapse as the ANC block_quotes_end

Clad in grey trousers, a checked shirt and leather jacket, Mabuza sat comfortably on his beige luxury couch at his official residence on President Street in the Nelspruit suburb of Steiltes this week.

The rules are strict at "state house" in Steiltes. His VIP protectors, although friendly, would not even allow his official spokesman entry until Mabuza confirmed the appointment.

During the interview, Mabuza took aim at Ramaphosa, saying the deputy president was out of line for declaring his availability to take over from Zuma.

"It was unnecessary to say, because he's already in the Presidency. He must behave himself.

"Now you're telling us you've got a desire to [lead]. No. In the ANC we don't like that, why don't you allow us an opportunity to decide? You didn't put yourself where you are but don't tell us: 'No, I've got this ambition.' It's not about your ambition, it's about how we feel as an organisation, whether you're going to be helpful to us."

Ramaphosa's spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, said the deputy president had no response to Mabuza's comments.

The man commonly referred to as "Comrade DD" in ANC circles said he was ready to bid farewell to Mpumalanga, where he has served in various capacities in the past 23 years - as MEC, for two terms as premier and three as ANC chairman.

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Prior to that, Mabuza was secretary of the Azanian Students Organisation, before being elected chairma n of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union. He served in the trade union between 1988 and 1991. In 2007 Mabuza was elected to the ANC's highest decision-making structure between conferences, the national executive committee .    

Mabuza was coy about his ambitions at a national leadership level, saying only that he told those lobbying for Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma that he was not willing to serve under either faction as the ANC needed a leadership consensus ahead of its 2017 conference.

He denied there had been a falling out between him and other members of the "premier league".

The Mpumalanga strongman said he discussed political issues with Mahumapelo and Magashule - as he did with all other comrades.

He said that if there was a failure to attain unity prior to the party's elections in December, "we're going to collapse" as the ANC.

"I am not going to support one faction against the other faction, I am saying no. Let's unite now. The ANC was built on unity and without that unity we're going to collapse."

Mabuza said he believed he had done "very well" since taking over as premier in 2009.

mokonet@sundaytimes.co.za