Mbeki says Nzimande is ‘arrogant’

PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has accused SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande of “extraordinary arrogance”, it emerged on Sunday.

It was this which had led him to “openly despise” the African National Congress, Mbeki noted in his political overview to an ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting held over the weekend. Nzimande clearly did not respect the spirit and intent of the approach towards fraternal organisation as laid down in the SACP constitution, Mbeki told the meeting.His notes were circulated to the media at ANC headquarters in Johannesburg on Sunday, during a press conference on the outcome of the NEC’s regular, scheduled meeting in Kempton Park on Friday and Saturday.Quoting from addresses by Nzimande, Mbeki wrote that he had spoken of a “strategic rupture” in the national democratic revolution’s (NDR) shared perspective around a socialist imperative.A dominant group was arguing that the key strategic task of the liberation movement was told the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union’s recent congress: “It is a shame that much as South Africa was liberated by a movement whose strategy and tactics was informed by this philosophical outlook, only capitalist ideology is taught in our schools.”The SACP’s view was that a capitalist-orientated NDR ceased to be an NDR as it was “hopelessly incapable” of addressing underdevelopment and poverty.Nzimande has, meanwhile, told the SABC he stands by “every word, sentence or comma” in his addresses.He described it as “very unfortunate” that the leader of the alliance could “make such remarks without by any means trying to engage us”.ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama denied that the President’s remarks amounted to an attack on Nzimande.”Rather, I would say, it’s a frank, open discussion that the ANC is having with its allies in response to frank statements directed to the ANC,” he said.”There is absolutely no combativeness…There is no acrimony.”Ngonyama also reiterated that there was “no split in the alliance”.”We agree on some issues; we disagree on some issues,” he said.There was ongoing lobbying for position.”It’s not going to change.”In his notes, Mbeki said that “to put the matter in its stark reality without any equivocation or diplomacy or pursuit of ‘unity at all costs’”, Nzimande’s strategic proposals, “ostensibly on behalf of the SACP, whether intended or not, amount to a serious provocation…”.Nampa-SapaNzimande clearly did not respect the spirit and intent of the approach towards fraternal organisation as laid down in the SACP constitution, Mbeki told the meeting.His notes were circulated to the media at ANC headquarters in Johannesburg on Sunday, during a press conference on the outcome of the NEC’s regular, scheduled meeting in Kempton Park on Friday and Saturday.Quoting from addresses by Nzimande, Mbeki wrote that he had spoken of a “strategic rupture” in the national democratic revolution’s (NDR) shared perspective around a socialist imperative.A dominant group was arguing that the key strategic task of the liberation movement was told the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union’s recent congress: “It is a shame that much as South Africa was liberated by a movement whose strategy and tactics was informed by this philosophical outlook, only capitalist ideology is taught in our schools.”The SACP’s view was that a capitalist-orientated NDR ceased to be an NDR as it was “hopelessly incapable” of addressing underdevelopment and poverty.Nzimande has, meanwhile, told the SABC he stands by “every word, sentence or comma” in his addresses.He described it as “very unfortunate” that the leader of the alliance could “make such remarks without by any means trying to engage us”.ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama denied that the President’s remarks amounted to an attack on Nzimande.”Rather, I would say, it’s a frank, open discussion that the ANC is having with its allies in response to frank statements directed to the ANC,” he said.”There is absolutely no combativeness…There is no acrimony.”Ngonyama also reiterated that there was “no split in the alliance”.”We agree on some issues; we disagree on some issues,” he said.There was ongoing lobbying for position.”It’s not going to change.”In his notes, Mbeki said that “to put the matter in its stark reality without any equivocation or diplomacy or pursuit of ‘unity at all costs’”, Nzimande’s strategic proposals, “ostensibly on behalf of the SACP, whether intended or not, amount to a serious provocation…”.Nampa-Sapa