thoughts as they come.

ANC can’t count on Mandela
article taken from the sunday times webpage
(red italic writing = my interjected thoughts...)

Mad scramble to woo party’s most famous member for election campaign could flop The ANC’s plan to use Nelson Mandela as its trump card in next year’s election has been roundly rejected by the elder statesman’s closest aides.

In a desperate bid to thwart Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa’s breakaway party from eating into its support base, ANC strategists had planned to use Mandela at rallies and in television campaigns.(oh come on! this is the party that had been "leading" our country [to rack and ruin] for nearly 15 years. surely by now they sould have beveloped a backbone of thier own, or is Mandela still the only reason people should vote for them? gees likes!)

But the Nelson Mandela Foundation yesterday firmly rejected the idea, saying factions hoping to rope the former president into their campaign were headed for disappointment. (go man!)

Jakes Gerwel, Mandela’s long-time friend and adviser who is also chairman of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said: “We’ve not been informed of this plan yet, (another perfect example of our political pertie's way of doin things: let the news say tell ppl whats going on before they do, saves hassle again i suppose)/ if there is such a plan, but Madiba has made it quite clear that he is not going to get involved in these things — and that includes the coming election.

“People just don’t get it — he’s 90 years old. He’s just not up to it. He’s not going to get politically involved, not in any way.”

ANC strategists have told the Sunday Times that as part of its plans, the party will seek to secure Mandela’s appearance at one of the major rallies, where he would urge people to vote for the ANC and remind them that it “is the only party that would bring a better life for them”.(please note the future tense, as there is - "as yet" - no evidence of this that the party could use in place of beloved Mandela's face)

Although the ANC does not want to drag Mandela directly into its battle (yea.... they just dont have any card to put up their sleeves...) with the breakaway faction, an insider working for the party’s election team said Mandela would be approached to either attend a rally or to be used in a video clip that would be played at election events.

Among other strategies being considered is to have Mandela wear a T-shirt bearing the party’s election message and also to use his voice to appeal to South Africans to vote for the party in broadcast messages.

ANC spokesman Brian Sokutu said: “Voting for the ANC in the election will be paying tribute to South Africa’s first democratically elected president. He has expressed full support for the ANC for the upcoming election.”(not doing so will admit that the party he worked so hard to promote will have become worthless. not an easy thing to do. poor man)

On whether Mandela has been approached to campaign, Sokutu said: “It will depend entirely on him, taking into account his age. There has been no formal approach to him.”

The strategy to use Mandela’s broad public appeal comes at a time when ANC dissidents, led by former defence minister Lekota and former Gauteng premier Shilowa, are intensifying their national campaign to launch an opposition movement to challenge the ANC in next year’s election.(yay!)

Lekota also attempted to secure a meeting with Mandela last week, but failed. (double yay)

Gerwel confirmed that Lekota had visited Mandela’s Houghton office. He said Mandela was "not available" and Lekota had met instead with the foundation’s chief executive, Achmat Danghor.

“He was not turned away,(oh really now?) but we keep asking people to be in touch with one of Madiba’s organisations.”

The ANC leadership has accused Lekota of presiding over a national executive committee (NEC) meeting in which Mandela was humiliated by former President Thabo Mbeki’s loyalists, who were unhappy about Mandela’s criticism of Mbeki’s stance on HIV/Aids.

In an open letter to Lekota two weeks ago, NEC member Jeff Radebe suggested that he apologise to Mandela for his alleged role in the matter.(all these names.... so confusin keepin track of them all. i mean, who cares anyway? all i want is water, lights and no flippin crime. hmm.. good blog idea that one)

Lekota confirmed yesterday that he sought an audience with Mandela, but that he was only able to meet Danghor and Mandela’s personal assistant, Zelda la Grange, who told him Mandela was ill.

Said Lekota: “I was disturbed that Jeff has said funny things about me. .. I don’t really want to draw him (Mandela) into all these troubles. .. Achmat was saying that there is no point in engaging him (Mandela) with all these things because they depress him. I might see him if I get information that he is OK.”