Ido lekota

Ido lekota

The ANC has once again aimed its guns at the media, accusing journalists of reducing the party's forthcoming national conference to a power struggle.

Speaking at the party's political overview at the weekend, President Thabo Mbeki said there was a campaign by the media "to reduce the conference to a leadership election".

He said the leadership election had nothing to do with the ANC's policies and programmes.

The ANC has previously accused the media of creating an impression that there were divisions within the party over who is going to be the party's next leader and president of the country.

This is despite the obvious division between those who support present ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma to be the party's president and that of the country. On the other hand, Mbeki's supporters want him to go for a third term as ANC president.

In a statement yesterday the party said it called on its members to reclaim the leadership debate.

The party said its members should be guided by the ANC's basic principles.

It also said there was only one ANC, and only one elected ANC national leadership.

"The ANC has long been characterised by its ability to combine diversity and unity. A divergence of views within the organisation, whether on leadership candidates or on any other matter, is not the same as an organisation divided," read the statement.

The party's December national conference in Limpopo will be attended by 4000 voting delegates.