South Africa's ANC allies demand more power in political summit

Johannesburg: South African trade union federation Cosatu has proposed that the alliance of the ruling ANC, Communist Party and itself replace the ANC as the main centre of political power, newspapers reported yesterday.

The move would shift power away from the party, giving the left wing greater influence by making all three partners — not just the ANC — responsible for setting government policy. Such a change, if it happened, could unsettle foreign investors.

Cosatu (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have been allied with the ANC since before it won the country's first all-race election in 1994, but the party has always been the senior partner.

The proposal was made at an alliance summit that started on Friday, aimed at ironing out differences between its members.

Cosatu and the SACP have gained influence since they helped Jacob Zuma rise to lead the ANC and become South African president. They are pushing for a more left-wing economic policy, including higher spending, and for the inflation targets that guide monetary policy to be scrapped.

The Sunday Times said ANC members had opposed the change, but added delegates at the summit held separate meetings to discuss the plan.

Killing identity

An unnamed senior ANC leader accused the party's secretary-general Gwede Mantashe of trying "to kill the identity of the ANC".

"That will not happen, We are at the summit to defend the ANC. Moreover the ANC leads the alliance and [that's] not what Cosatu wants," the newspaper quoted the delegate as saying.

Mantashe is also chairman of the SACP.

The paper also said Zuma had reiterated an ANC decision that Trevor Manuel would remain the political head of the government's National Planning Commission, defying Cosatu demands that he be replaced.

Manuel is unpopular with the left wing for his relatively conservative fiscal policy during more than a decade as finance minister, but is respected by investors who want him to remain a key player.

The NPC — announced in May but yet to start work — will use a panel of experts to guide overarching government policy.

Zuma has been under pressure from the ANC's partners to scrap a market-friendly economic stance, while investors are nervous about a shift in policy should the left wing gain traction.