US government funded Mbeki to stop Zuma from becoming president

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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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

TAGS: PGOV SF

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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