- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) swiftly reacted to purported media reports that it has ordered its branches to carefully choose the attendees of the Saturday rally in Witbank to avoid having ANC members embarrassing the President.
It was reported that ANC had asked its branches to provide the names and identity numbers of their members to "protect President Thabo Mbeki from unruly party members" during his address at the 95th anniversary rally of the party, which is expected to be attended by over 20,000 people.
The ANC security measure was said to be aimed at preventing Mr Mbeki from being booed by loyalists of Jacob Zuma, who was sacked as the Deputy President but still has a large and radicalised fellowship. But the party's spokesman, Paul Mbenyane, described the reports as not only unfounded but also "irresponsible and malicious".
For security reasons, he said, only invited guests - journalist, business people and others - would be asked about their ID numbers. Mr Mbenyane added that this exempts ANC members and ordinary people.
Ahead of the rally, there have been reports of national intelligence agents being deployed in Witbank, purposely to counter any security threats in advance. The ANC mouthpiece confirmed that security would be tight at the rally but that it is meant to protect everyone.
ANC officials in Johannesburg today issued a statement saying the Witbank rally is "open to all members of the public who wish to attend, and there is no requirement that they should submit their ID numbers".
For "purposes of planning", ANC members who would use buses of the party however had been required to submit their names to their branches.
It is also said that ANC officials have been sick and tired with the recent mistreatment of President Mbeki at hands of some people during a commemorative rally of an ANC stalwart, Moses Mabhida in Pietermarizburg.
ANC on Saturday clocks 95 years. Formed in the apartheid era, the ANC has been ruling South Africa since 1994 when the yokes of white minority rule, discrimination and racism were broken. With only 12 years in office, the ANC has secured absolute majority in parliament but the party has been confronted with a lot of internal shackles during the past two years.
In December, the party is expected to hold congress to choose a successor to President Mbeki, who received the leadership baton from the former President Nelson Mandela. The leadership debate has opened several months ahead of the convocation.
The two most popular candidates to take over from President Mbeki are current South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka - who could become the country's first female leader - and her predecessor, Mr Zuma. While Mr Zuma has faced both corruption and rape charges - exposed to the nation in embarrassing court sessions - the former deputy still counts on many militant followers in the party.
Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka, a more moderate and low-profiled politician, is believed to have the full confidence of Mr Mbeki. This has again contributed to the President's decreased popularity among ANC radicals.
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