Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC’s top seven leaders are expected to meet with former party leader Thabo Mbeki this evening following his heavy criticism of the party in recent months.
News24 has been reliably informed that a meeting with Mbeki was scheduled for Luthuli House from 18:00 on Tuesday.
“There is a meeting scheduled with the former president by the top seven. At the former president’s behest, the meeting is set to be a physical engagement at Luthuli House,” an ANC member told News24.
The meeting will include, among others, Cyril Ramaphosa, Paul Mashatile, Fikile Mbalula, Nomvula Mokonyane and Maropene Ramokgopa.
Mbeki has been heavily critical of the ANC in recent months.
He recently penned a letter to Mashatile, in which he criticised the ANC’s handling of the Phala Phala saga.
Mbeki said the ANC had used every measure in its political arsenal to shield Ramaphosa from accountability.
Mbeki had warned the ANC, ahead of its December elective conference, that the party had to find a mechanism to deal with the political fall-out of the Phala Phala matter.
News24 previously reported that Mokonyane had confirmed a meeting was scheduled with Mbeki.
She said the ANC saw Mbeki as a former leader, who should be providing political wisdom and counsel, and not fuelling public criticism of the party.
“We are meeting with all our presidents and, indeed, we will be meeting with Thabo Mbeki physically, and not responding to his letter with another letter,” she said.
“He, Mbeki, is our leader and an elder. We will sit down with him and interact with him very soon. The process has started, and the secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, is facilitating it.
“Just as we said, even with comrade Zuma, that gives him the space to lead, we now call on you [Mbeki] to become a support system and a counsellor to the incumbent.
“We look upon his wisdom [Mbeki], and the outcomes of that meeting [between the ANC and Mbeki] will make us all better people,” Mokonyane said.
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