South Africa’s Mbeki Is Jeered Before Party Leadership Vote
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POLOKWANE, South Africa — South Africa’s president, Thabo Mbeki, was humiliated by his own party yesterday as he tried to cling to power.
At the end of a 2 1/2 hour address to the ruling African National Congress’s national conference in Polokwane, Mr. Mbeki, who is seeking a third term as the party’s president, was applauded by his supporters, chanting “Lead us, Thabo, lead us.” But they were then drowned out by most of the hall rising up and chanting “Umshini Wami” — “Bring me my Machine-Gun” — the campaign song of his rival for the post, Jacob Zuma.
Hundreds of delegates jeered Mr. Mbeki, and many roared “Zuma for president.” If Mr. Zuma is elected as the ANC’s president, it would put him in pole position to be the country’s next leader.
The insult suffered by Mr. Mbeki is particularly destructive given the ANC’s ethos. The party considered unity and discipline essential during the long years of struggle against apartheid.
The outburst marked a turning point and the president was left visibly shocked.
The ANC is still making the transition from a liberation movement to a political party, although a coalition of different interests has united behind Mr. Zuma.
“It was pretty blunt,” Mr. Mbeki’s biographer, Mark Gevisser, said. “It was basically saying, ‘It’s time to go.'”
Mr. Mbeki’s speech was ostensibly a political report, although it contained thinly veiled swipes at his opponent, whom he sacked as his deputy in 2005. Mr. Zuma is the subject of a long-running corruption investigation and was acquitted of rape last year.