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TWO SIDES: President Jacob Zuma with Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe at the opening of the ANC's crucial 4th national policy conference held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Gauteng. PHOTO: ANC Communications Unit

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BATTLE lines were drawn on Thursday when KwaZulu-Natal delegates sang songs in praise of President Jacob Zuma and secretary-general Gwede Mantashe at the ANC national policy conference in Midrand.

This happened just before the delegates went into plenary session where all commissions were expected to give feedback on decisions taken over policies that were under discussion.

Zuma's home province openly showed its support for the president and the secretary-general singing that "Zuma is second transition, Mantashe is second transition" ­ in reference to the controversial document being promoted by Zuma.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is expected to challenge Zuma in Mangaung, has openly criticised the document that separates the political transition from economic transformation.

A KwaZulu-Natal delegate told Sowetan that the song meant Zuma and Mantashe should be re-elected for a second term at the ANC conference in December.

When Motlanthe was doing a walkabout at the Progressive Business Forum's business lounge he was met with raucous singing of pro-Zuma songs.

The singing continued outside the hall as delegates made their way into the plenary.

But others joined to sing anti-Zuma songs.

The anti-Zuma delegates, mostly from Limpopo, North West, Gauteng and Northern Cape, responded by singing that "le utloile taba tse monate hore Zuma o oa tsamaya", meaning: "Did the [other] delegates hear the good news that Zuma will no longer be their leader?"

The singing continued until both groups were inside the hall where some said they were prepared to fight should a resolution on the second transition be watered down.

Head of policy Jeff Radebe said all commissions have accepted the content and thrust of the document but have agreed to rename it "second phase of transition".

SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande dismissed claims this was a "Zuma document", or that its failure to garner much support would translate into Zuma losing support. He said it was endorsed by the ANC leadership.

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Thu May 23 11:45:18 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 29, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

Everything is fine :P Move along South Africa. Nothing to see here :P
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Jun 29, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

there is no problem here this thing is simple : y cn't we hv one leader from each ethnic group : i mean like Tshwana leaders for batswana, vendas, xhozas, the english, afrikanners, zulus, pedi, khoisan then we vote who should lead te country
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Jun 29, 2012

MommaC

? and nobody told them to stop so can we now assume that the 'leadership debate' is open ?
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Jun 29, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

dis is a wakeup call to other ethnic groups to unite against zulufobia
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Jun 29, 2012

MicaParis

Let us tell you the truth about ANC politics! There are differences in the NEC yes between Comrade Zuma, Baleka, Gwede against, Comrade Kgali, Thandi, Phosa! yes! But all that have got nothing to do with Zuma being overthrown as the President and the Commander in Chief of the ANC no ways as for Zuma going to second term Comrades are united!
Comrade Zuma's two term tenure was sealed in Polokwane when we elect him to be our President after Comrade Thabo who was accused of not listening to demands of the ANC NEC and the Branches during that time, forget about Comrade Chikane's double standard agenda lies because of exclusion out of the Present Government Senior Administrators, if he was still the DG somewhere Chikane will not say those complete nonsense!! Comrade Zuma is going for a second term but the TRUTH is he cannot finish it!, that is an unfortunate issue and the pillar of the conflict within the top six! In fact as a presidence of removing the President before he finish his second term, laid by the so called ''Pirates of Polokwane'' in media circles is there to witness once more as it is evident that no ANC President after Mbeki will ever finish his second term, until the Party is finally dead! Well that is a honest truth!? But we are planning to hold our Leadership Conference every after two Government Presidential Terms to avoid the mishaps that ''He is going as such cannot tell us anything''. This is done in a bit to stamp in discipline and respect of the President of the ANC and a bit to re enforce our future Presidents to finish their second terms, so that factional party politics cannot overlap into weakening the Government.
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Jun 29, 2012

Mporoz

@ sh!tFaceSamsung

LMAO, ngeke nilunge bafana
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Jun 29, 2012

Mzigo

sh!tFaceSamsung

there is no problem here this thing is simple : y cn't we hv one leader from each ethnic group : i mean like Tshwana leaders for batswana, vendas, xhozas, the english, afrikanners, zulus, pedi, khoisan then we vote who should lead te country

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Your comment shows you are still wet behind the ears,during the struggle we as black fought against segregation be it in form of race,colour,creed or even ethnicity and we succeded yet you and your cronnies especially from Lipompo who never contributed anything in the struggle for black person emancipation from the brutal regime comes up with the nonsense of tribalism while we are trying to build an all inclusive country.

In the ANC we do not look at our leaders along the ethnicity but we look beyond that.
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Jun 29, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

@Mzingo: wait a minute zulu's(IFP) fought against ANC when we try to overthrown apartheid gorv:
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Jun 29, 2012

MicaParis

@sh!tFaceSamsung
@Mzingo: wait a minute zulu's(IFP) fought against ANC when we try to overthrown apartheid gorv:
WITH DUE RESPECT MY CHIEF YOUR NAME SAYS IT ALL!!
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Jun 29, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

MicaParisas: they say " thruth ibuhlungu neh" i just tel u te thruth nothing else: deal with it
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