Opening of the 50th ANC conference marks watershed for Mandela

The start of the 50th annual conference of the African National Congress in Mafeking today marks a watershed in the long political…

The start of the 50th annual conference of the African National Congress in Mafeking today marks a watershed in the long political career of President Nelson Mandela.

When delegates assemble to vote for a new national executive, Mr Mandela (79) will not be standing for re-election as president of the organisation to which he has devoted most of his life.

His decision to step down in favour of Mr Thabo Mbeki, deputy president of the ANC as well as Deputy President of South Africa, is the first formal step in his phased withdrawal from high-profile political leadership.

The next major step will be taken after the 1999 general election. He will not seek a second term of office when a new parliament elects the president - again leaving the field open to Mr Mbeki.

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The white-haired Mr Mandela - who was warmly welcomed on his arrival at the conference venue yesterday - is one of more than 3,000 delegates. Elections of key office bearers, including the deputy president, the national chairman and the treasurer-general, are expected to get under way later today.

The main question intriguing observers is whether Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, president of the ANC Women's League and former wife of Mr Mandela, will mount a last-minute challenge for the deputy presidency against Mr Jacob Zuma, the person favoured by the present ANC leadership.

Ms Madikizela-Mandela had been nominated by the Women's League, but in an apparent move to thwart her bid, the ANC insisted on strict observance of a rule restricting nominations to provincial delegations.

To secure nomination from the floor - her only chance of entering the contest after all the provincial delegations opted for Mr Zuma - Ms Madikizela-Mandela must secure the backing of 25 per cent of the delegates. Here again, she faces a last-minute obstacle: the required level of support for a successful nomination has been raised from a tenth to a quarter of the delegates.

Mr Mbeki has insisted that there has been no attempt to sideline Ms Madikizela-Mandela. Ms Madikizela-Mandela, however, is adamant there is a conspiracy to thwart her quest for the deputy presidency, citing the holding shortly before the conference of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearing into serious human rights allegations against her and the 11th-hour changes in nomination procedure.

The charges against her now being appraised by the TRC include allegations of murder, assault and kidnapping.

Aside from the prospect of a challenge to Mr Zuma from the floor by Ms Madikizela-Mandela, a tough contest between two ANC heavyweights, Mr Patrick Lekota and Mr Steve Tshwete, for the ANC's national chairmanship will provide further drama when voting gets under way later today.

The blanket amnesty given to 37 leading ANC members is illegal, the National Party said after seeking legal advice. A party official presented the legal advice to Dr Desmond Tutu.