AFP - Thabo Mbeki will resign as South Africa"s president, his spokesman said Saturday, after the governing African National Congress told him to stand down in the interests of ANC unity.

"The president has obliged and will step down," presidential spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga told 702 Talk Radio in Johannesburg, within hours of the ANC national executive committee's call for him to go.

Mbeki, 66, who succeeded Nelson Mandela as president in June 1999, has been under fire over allegations that he was influential in pressing corruption charges against ANC leader and political rival Jacob Zuma.

"The ANC has decided to recall the president of the republic before his mandate has expired," the ANC's secretary general Gwede Mantashe told journalists after a meeting of the party leadership.

"Our decision has been concluded, the formalities are now subject to the parliamentary process," Mantashe said, adding that Mbeki "didn't express shock, he welcomed the news.

"We have communicated our decision (to Mbeki) and that we will be going through parliamentary process. He has agreed to participate in that process."

702 Talk Radio said Mbeki -- a key player in mediating an end to the political crisis in Zimbabwe -- had called a meeting of his government for Sunday to decide the way forward.

Mantashe said the decision to ask him to stand down was taken in the interests of party unity.

"This is not a punishment," he said. "We decided to take this decision in an effort to heal and reunite the ANC."

Government spokesman Themba Maseko told AFP that a special cabinet briefing would be held on Sunday afternoon, whereafter Mbeki would "speak to the nation" in an address broadcast live on radio and television.

Under the South African constitution, the president is appointed by parliament, which has been dominated by the ANC since the end of apartheid and the start of majority rule in May 1994.

Mbeki's term was due to expire in mid-2009. The decision now rests with parliament whether to appoint an interim president and call an early election, or install a full acting president to complete the second term.

Senior ANC officials had gathered Friday to discuss Mbeki's future after a September 12 court ruling that cleared Zuma of corruption charges and hinted that Mbeki's government had interfered in the decision to prosecute him -- an allegation that the president's office denied.

The main opposition Democratic Alliance said the decision to recall Mbeki was "motivated by revenge to settle political scores."

"The ANC has turned its internal battles into a crisis for South Africa. ANC factionalism has long undermined government's ability to deliver, and it now threatens to destabilise the entire country," it said in a statement.

The Inkatha Freedom Party said the decision represented the "biggest challenge to South Africa since apartheid."

Fierce debate followed the September 12 judgment, along with speculation as to whether the ANC would force Mbeki out in a vote of no confidence, ask him to resign or allow him to serve out his term which ends next year.

The main allegation against Zuma had been that he received bribes for protecting French arms company Thint in an investigation into a controversial weapons deal.

The dismissal of the charges on a technicality cleared the way for Zuma to become South Africa's president in elections next year.

Judge Chris Nicholson said the decision to throw out the case was not a reflection of Zuma's guilt or innocence, but a technical decision based on his right to make representations before being recharged.

Mbeki fired Zuma as deputy president in 2005 after his financial advisor was jailed for corruption.

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Senior Consultant Governance and Socio-Economic Development Division (LIPAM)
written by Francisca 'Mapitso Matsoha , October 06, 2008

I have never been so impressed as this morning when I listened to Lesedi FM, and hear the comment from Professor Motshekga on what Archbishop Tutu had said earlier, in relation to Jacob Zuma. Professor you have really made my day when you said, I code: "Archbishop Tutu will not tell people who should the ANC candidate be for 2009 ELECTIONS, it is not under review; it is not negotiable." This is the strength of Character, keep it up, people may not understand, it is no longer the issue of whether we like it or not, Jacob Zuma is anointed by God to be the next South African President. Be rest assured Zuma is the President. Professor you will soon be the Voice of Africa, I give that name to people like You. THANK YOU.

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