Thabo Mbeki and Tokyo Sexwale
Have the two men really settled their past differences?
James Myburgh 23 Mai 2007Tokyo Sexwale has been presented as a ‘compromise candidate' for the presidency of the African National Congress. The claim is made that he is someone able to appeal to both camps. This requires remaining on reasonable terms with both President Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, while manoeuvring for the top job. Earlier this week the editor of Business Day, Peter Bruce, even suggested that Sexwale and Mbeki could even make a double play. "Two good and (economically) like-minded leaders combining to get what they each want? Mbeki gets Tokyo's support to lead the party again. Mbeki backs Tokyo to become head of state."
Sexwale though has reason to resent Mbeki, and consequently Mbeki has cause to fear and distrust Sexwale's ultimate intentions towards him. Most famously, in April 2001 the Sunday Times reported that the Safety and Security Minister, Steve Tshwete, had told them that the police had, since the previous year, been investigating claims that Mbeki was "in ‘physical danger' from high profile leaders within the ANC who are plotting to oust him." A couple of days later Tshwete went on to national television and named Sexwale, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Mathews Phosa, as the individuals supposedly involved in the plot.
According to Bruce, and others, Mbeki and Sexwale have since "made up". Indeed, Sexwale was apparently recently seen entertaining Mbeki in Franschhoek. Yet, it would be surprising if all had been forgiven and forgotten, for the bad blood between the two men goes back a long way.
After becoming premier of Gauteng in 1994 Sexwale did little to disguise his ambitions, and he used his high public profile to position himself to challenge for the presidency. In May 1995 Africa Confidential claimed that then Deputy President Mbeki's office had allegedly issued a directive to SABC head, Zwelakhe Sisulu, requesting that Sexwale get less television coverage.
"The directive" it reported, "said that other provincial premiers had complained about their lack of national coverage: equally lowering Sexwale's profile will not do Mbeki any harm. Sexwale's aides say they expect a quiet few months, but afterwards the premier will be more demonstrative about his presidential aspirations."
Then in September 1996 Newton Kanhema, a journalist close to Sexwale, revealed in the Saturday Star that Mbeki had approached F.W. de Klerk shortly after the 1994 elections and asked him if any documents or evidence existed in state files concerning the involvement of Sexwale in alleged drug-dealing or other criminal activities.
In August 1994 Sexwale had written a letter of complaint to De Klerk, which he had copied to President Mandela. In it he stated, "I wish to draw your attention to a matter that has been brought to the attention of my office, which supposedly originates from your office - from your person in particular. The matter in question relates to a false allegation purportedly from yourself, directed to a senior member of the Government to the effect that some people, including myself, maybe be involved in criminal acts such as drug peddling." (Saturday Star 14th September 1996)
Subsequently, Sexwale met with De Klerk on the 30th September 1994. The conversation was recorded and Sexwale was given a tape of the discussion. In the meeting De Klerk told Sexwale that: "I had a discussion with a businessman and we were talking about the person who is likely to succeed Mandela. When the businessman suggested your name I said I doubted it because there were long knives out for you. I can assure you that this knife is not mine."
De Klerk also told Sexwale that at Mandela's presidential inauguration Mbeki came to him, "and said there were suspicions that you were involved in drugs. He said the ANC had information pointing in that direction. I have never heard any rumour about you... we would have used it against you during the election. I contacted intelligence and they gave me a paper which did not warrant anything being done and I gave that to Mr Mbeki." (Sunday Independent 15th September 1996)
After these reports broke the then Safety and Security Minister, Sidney Mufamadi, stated that he had discussed the allegations with Mbeki back in 1994. He had then approached the commissioner of police, General Johan van der Merwe, to see whether any light could be shed on the matter. Van der Merwe told him the police were aware of the allegations but that they could not be substantiated. "They were not aware of anything beyond allegations. No one had given them information that was sufficient grounds to launch an investigation." (Citizen 16th September 1996)
Kanhema reported shortly afterwards that, according to his sources on the ANC's national executive committee, there was a "perception among some" that Mbeki had gone "hunting for anything that could damage Sexwale's image, lest he became a strong contender for the presidency of the party." He further claimed that Sexwale was "bitter" because he believed he had "been betrayed by Mbeki and Mufamadi, who ‘threw him to the wolves' [De Klerk and Van der Merwe] to dredge up information on drug dealing."
A couple of months later there was yet further reason for discord between the two men. In an interview with the press in November 1996 Mandela described the idea that he had already chosen Mbeki as his successor as a misconception, as it was the NEC or conference that had the power to choose the party's president. This anodyne comment caused a brief fuss after Mandela briefed the NEC on the content of the interview.
An anonymous source told Kanhema that Mandela had told the NEC, "There has been a perception that I have already chosen my successor. There is talk that comrade Mbeki is the heir apparent but all this is not true. I have not chosen anyone to take over. The whole matter is in the hands of congress." The source further claimed that, "Everyone was shocked. I saw everyone with their heads down. We did not expect this, the race is on, but you can expect to see more people who are possible candidates being sidelined." The Star headlined Kanhema's report: "Mandela drops Mbeki bombshell: I have no heir apparent to the presidency, Madiba tells stunned ANC leaders" (11th November 1996).
This interpretation was vigorously denied by both Mandela's office and the ANC. The New Nation fingered Sexwale as the source of the leak, speculating that he "may have had a hand" in the report in The Star. It claimed that "rumours implicating Sexwale remain strong in the party" and this had "tarnished his image". "It is believed" the newspaper reported, "that the organisation is determined to censure anyone found guilty of leaking the distorted interpretation of Mandela's attitude towards the race for the leadership of the organisation." The Hogarth column in the Sunday Times also claimed: "Although they have no proof, ANC insiders all point to Sexwale as the man who twisted Mandela's words."
After Sexwale announced his decision to quit active politics in the middle of 1997 the Mail & Guardian reported that the "ambitious premier" committed a "tactical error when he went one-on-one against Mbeki." The critical turning point came, it said, when he "he went to the press with the allegations against Mbeki" on the drug-trafficking issue in September the previous year. The article claimed that his opponents in the ANC regarded Sexwale "as a leader with much style but little substance. He was never regarded as one of the great political thinkers in the ANC." Sexwale meanwhile "believes he is a victim of Mbeki's intolerance of rivals within the party." He had also often expressed doubt to his inner circle that Mbeki was up to the job of running the country, telling them that "the president's [Mandela] shoes are huge and Thabo has tiny feet."
It could well be that the rough treatment Sexwale has received at the hands of the Mbeki-ites, including two police investigations, is by now just water under the bridge for him. Equally, he might just be following an astute political strategy. As Niccolò Machiavelli observed, it is foolish and imprudent to demand a thing from someone, and to say beforehand that once handed over it will be used to harm them. Rather, one should disguise one's intentions, while endeavouring "to obtain one's desires anyhow. For it is enough to ask a man to give up his arms, without telling him that you intend killing him with them; after you have the arms in hand, then you can do your will with them."
