By Johnathan Paoli
FORMER president Thabo Mbeki has stopped campaigning for the African National Congress (ANC), the party confirmed on Tuesday due to his personal commitments.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party chose to issue an official statement in response to public interest and speculation when Mbeki’s campaign events – scheduled to take place in Gqeberha – were postponed.
The halt of Mbeki‘s campaign trial, described by some as ‘sudden’, raised a few eyebrows, after he joined other party stalwarts such as former president Kgalema Motlanthe, businessman Tokyo Sexwale and national chairperson Gwede Mantashe.
Over the past weekend Mbeki’s visited Hero’s Acre in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal and was reported to have made what some have described as ‘critical remarks’ about the party.
He was quoted as saying the ANC’s loss of support was directly related to the deterioration of service delivery.
“Anything to do with who leads the ANC, has got to do with the performance of the ANC, and the people are responding to that,” Mbeki said.
He called for an ANC that is both responsible and conscientious to the needs of the people it purported to represent.
“I can’t just go to the population and say vote ANC and stop there. I must say vote ANC, but I must add to that. The ANC I am saying you must vote for, is an ANC that must be able to discharge its responsibilities to the people,” Mbeki said.
Analysts have speculated that Mbeki’s remarks might not have gone down well with Luthuli House, culminating with the abrupt suspension of his electioneering activities, which were planned for his home province, Eastern Cape.
The ANC has insisted that the decision to suspend his campaigning has nothing to do with what Mbeki said over the weekend.
Bhengu-Motsiri said at the conclusion of his campaign activities in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbeki requested a brief pause to give him time to prepare for the upcoming Thabo Mbeki Africa Day lecture next week as well as other unnamed commitments.
She said Mbeki is expected to return to his campaigning, after he meets these commitments.
“President Mbeki is eager to swiftly resume and conclude his campaign activities as originally planned. His unwavering dedication remains steadfast,” she said.
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