The United States funded former South African President Thabo Mbeki’s failed African National Congress election campaign because it did not want Jacob Zuma to become South African president.
This was disclosed to United States embassy officials by exiled Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa who said he had been told this by Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai who in turn had been told this by South African Communist Party secretary-general Blade Nzimande.
Masiyiwa said Tsvangirai had told him that Nzimande made the allegation “with a lot of conviction”. Masiyiwa, however, did not believe Nzimande’s charge — and told Tsvangirai so –but he wanted the United States government to be aware of the allegation.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07PRETORIA4261, S/NF) SACP’S NZIMANDE BELIEVES USG FUNDED MBEKI
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO2368
RR RUEHDU
DE RUEHSA #4261 3651412
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 311412Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3052
INFO RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 3600
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9464
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5183
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T PRETORIA 004261
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2017
SUBJECT: (S/NF) SACP’S NZIMANDE BELIEVES USG FUNDED MBEKI
CAMPAIGN
REF: A. PRETORIA 3939
¶B. PRETORIA 1598
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Perry Ball. Reasons 1.4(
b) and (d).
¶1. (S/NF) Blade Nzimande, General Secretary of the South
African Communist Party (SACP) and ally of newly-elected
African National Congress (ANC) President Jacob Zuma, told
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai o/a December
27 that the United States provided funds for President Thabo
Mbeki’s failed ANC election campaign, according to close
Embassy contact and Zimbabwe businessman Strive Masiyiwa
(strictly protect). In a December 29 phone call to PolOff,
Masiyiwa said that Tsvangirai had briefed him on his meeting
with Nzimande. Nzimande reported to Tsvangirai that
incumbent ANC President Mbeki had tried to “buy votes” before
and during that ANC National Congress (ref A), and that the
funds came from the U.S. Government. According to Masiyiwa,
Tsvangirai said that Nzimande made the allegation “with a lot
SIPDIS
of conviction.”
¶2. (S/NF) Nzimande reportedly claimed that the United States
did not want Zuma to become President, and therefore
supported Mbeki’s reelection campaign. Masiyiwa said he did
not believe Nzimande’s charge — and told Tsvangirai so —
but wanted the USG to be aware of the allegation. The belief
that the USG supported and funded Mbeki creates a “very
hostile platform” for engaging the Zuma camp, Masiyiwa noted.
¶3. (S/NF) Turning to the current ANC political tensions,
Nzimande told Tsvangirai that the Zuma camp is increasingly
angry with Mbeki and will challenge him at the upcoming
January 7 ANC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
(NOTE: Nzimande made these comments before Zuma was charged
with corruption (septel), a step that only exacerbated
tensions within the ANC. END NOTE.) According to Nzimande,
Zuma attempted to “mend fences” with his conciliatory closing
address at the ANC National Congress. Instead of
reciprocating, Mbeki has “gone on the offensive.” Nzimande
cited as an example Mbeki’s December 21 approval of the new,
“pro-Mbeki” board for the South African Broadcasting
Corporation (SABC) despite strong opposition from the Zuma
camp, as well as Mbeki’s public comments that the President
of the ANC will not necessarily be the party’s candidate for
the national presidency. According to Nzimande, at the
January 7 meeting, Zuma supporters will give Mbeki three
choices: (1) “toe the party line” and implement ANC policy;
(2) resign; or (3) “you will be recalled.” “The battle lines
are drawn,” Masiyiwa observed, with both sides “digging in
for a fight.”
¶4. (S/NF) COMMENT: Nzimande’s charge that the USG funded the
Mbeki campaign, while ridiculous, is evidence of the intense
suspicion of the United States harbored by the left wing of
the ANC and its tripartite alliance partners. This follows
earlier rumors among Zuma supporters of a USG plot to kill
Zuma (ref B). On the growing political tensions in the ANC,
we agree that the January 7 NEC meeting is an important event
and will help set the tone for the year ahead. ANC elders
will likely try to calm tensions and forge an agreement on
coordination between Luthuli House (ANC headquarters) and the
Union Building (seat of government). END COMMENT.
BOST
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