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South African president battles to fend off Zuma

Under pressure to hold on to his position as head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), South African President Thabo Mbeki has warned against the party tearing itself apart over the current bitter leadership race.

Mbeki, who normally shuns local media, submitted himself to a nationally broadcast radio interview and demands from callers for his withdrawal from the race.

The interview on Wednesday came 10 days before a crucial ANC conference where he and the party's deputy Jacob Zuma are expected to slug it out for the top post in a battle that could determine the country's next president.

Mbeki said candidates were "not nominated because they are enemies," and should not treat one another as such, he said in the interview broadcast from Pretoria.

"I don't think one should read this contest in a negative light but as an affirmation of democracy in ANC," he said.

Mbeki is barred by the Constitution from seeking a third term as South Africa's president, but by remaining head of the party he will be able to have a say in who succeeds him when he leaves office in 2009. This is likely to be whoever takes over from him as party president.

But if Mbeki, who has alienated many of the poor, loses, he risks ending his term of office as a lame duck president forced to report to Zuma, who he fired from government as his deputy two years ago.

Mbeki's chances of beating Zuma have grown increasingly slim after he only managed to secure nominations from the ANC in four of the country's nine provinces.

However, he has refused to concede defeat.

"From my point of view, it's perfectly all right if ANC structures conduct these democratic processes and nominate whoever they want," he said.

But Mbeki warned members needed to accept the "consequences" of their choice.

Since his humiliation in the provinces, Mbeki supporters have gone on the offensive in an increasingly bitter battle which has pitted Cabinet ministers against each other and led to reports of horse trading and vote buying.

Mbeki acknowledged campaigning had become acrimonious and called on members to conduct themselves with integrity and in a manner that recognized the ANC had a responsibility to the future of South Africa.

"If you have an ANC that destroys itself because we've got these entrenched factions; that has to be avoided. Members of the ANC have to fight to maintain the cohesion and integrity of the ANC," he said.

Pushed by listeners to withdraw from the race, Mbeki said the outcome of the ANC's leadership contest was up to its members.

"The people who run are people who get nominated by the membership. Why don't we leave this decision to the members of the ANC," he said.

Opposition parties and union leaders have criticized the radio interview as an abuse of state resources and an attempt to advance the cause of one candidate in the leadership race.

About 21.3 million listeners could tune in to the interview, according to figures from the SA Advertising Research Foundation's Radio Audience Measurement Survey.
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