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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001829 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y   (CLASSIFICATION CORRECTED TO SBU) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM ASEC SF PGOV
SUBJECT: BALEKA MBETE GIVES A FEW CLUES ABOUT BALANCE OF 
POWER 
 
REF: PRETORIA 01755 
 
PRETORIA 00001829  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU)  Among local observers of South African politics, one 
key question during the election campaign and in the 
aftermath of the April vote was whether the balance of power 
would reside at the Union Buildings or in Luthuli House. 
Former Deputy President, and current African National 
Congress (ANC) chairperson, Baleka Mbete gave a few hints 
about where power lies during a public lecture at the 
University of Johannesburg in late August.  She said that the 
ANC was instrumental when President Jacob Zuma selected his 
new Cabinet, but was noncommittal about whether certain 
government ministries -- including the Ministry of Monitoring 
and Evaluation -- report to the administration or to the ANC. 
 Despite her vagueness about where power resides, her 
characterization of government decisions and policies 
suggests that the ANC is helping set the agenda while the 
Zuma government is making the final call about 
implementation.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Mbete Opens About Zuma's First 100 Days 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete spoke to a crowd of 
roughly 20 students, academics, and journalists at the 
University of Johannesburg on August 25.  She opened her 
remarks by characterizing the Zuma administration as a "new 
government."  (Note:  Her remark later drew derision from the 
crowd who noted the ANC has been in power since 1994 even if 
Zuma is newly in office.  End Note.)  She admitted the 
previous government under former President Thabo Mbeki did 
not do enough to address concerns on the ground, saying that 
"the fact that government did not appear to listen is a main 
reason people are in the streets today protesting poor 
service delivery and corrupt local leaders."  She said the 
public is running out of patience because "people want better 
education, improved health care, more jobs, and protection." 
According to her, the ANC's ruling party congress in December 
2007 addressed ways forward to tackle these issues.  However, 
she added, "We have not yet had a chance to implement our 
vision fully."  Mbete conceded that the municipal structures 
of government are plagued by poor governance, bad financial 
management,  and corruption among government officials and 
businesspersons.  In addition to knowing about these 
challenges, the ANC "plans to hold local government leaders 
more accountable," said Mbete. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Ways of holding local government leaders more 
accountable include the establishment of a telephone hotline 
so citizens can call the government to complain about poor 
service delivery and corruption, according to Mbete.  She 
also said the ANC would hold leaders accountable by using its 
policy advisers at Luthuli House to draft ways of improving 
implementation and monitoring.  The discussion of government 
evaluation and monitoring was illustrative of the new 
government because its helped clarify where the power of 
power resides under this new government.  Mbete said Luthuli 
House played a key role in the establishment of the new 
Ministry for Monitoring and Evaluation.  She related, "We 
pushed really hard for there to be a ministry of evaluation 
on Zuma's staff at the Union Buildings."  However, she added 
Qon Zuma's staff at the Union Buildings."  However, she added 
that the new ministry would not necessarily report its 
findings to the ANC.  She said, "I do not know if the new 
ministry has even met yet or whether it has reported anything 
of note.  Collins Chabane (who chairs the ministry) is 
supposed to report to us, but he may not have anything to 
debrief yet."  (Note:  Mbete also discussed the decision to 
break the Ministry of Education into the Ministry of Basic 
Education and the Ministry of Higher Education.  In her 
remarks, it was clear that she was a crucial driver in the 
decision to split the ministries.  She said, "I pushed really 
hard for us to improve education and how we monitor 
teachers."  She believes the Ministry of Basic Education will 
do a better job of taking responsibility for younger learners 
as its own entity.  End Note.)  When asked by an audience 
member whether an government minister has more clout than an 
ANC leader, she replied, "Your guess is as good as mine." 
She contended that the ANC needs to be strengthened, which is 
 
PRETORIA 00001829  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
why the party opted to keep so many leaders out of 
government.  Yet, she added that the temptation of going into 
government is often too much to sway some to stay at Luthuli 
House.  She said, "There is money at Parliament.  There is 
less money at Luthuli House." 
 
¶4. (SBU)  She discussed the ongoing conversation about the 
future of provinces in the country.  (Note:  See Reftel for 
more information on the debate over provinces.  End Note.) 
She made the argument that the number of provinces should 
remain fixed and that they should have broad administrative 
independence.  According to her, "Provinces should almost act 
with their own sovereignty because they border neighboring 
countries."  However, she also noted there is an ongoing 
debate about whether to consolidate the provinces and there 
would not be any resolution to the issue for several months. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  In closing, Mbete made one remark that was 
illustrative of a strain of thinking within the ANC right 
now.  When asked whether South Africa would continue its 
ambitious foreign policy during the next five years, Mbete 
replied, "We should not be a leader on the continent ... We 
do not have all the answers."  She added, "We should be 
focused on internal problems."  Her remarks led to murmurs 
throughout the room as the audience tried to understand how a 
former Deputy President could make such statements given 
South Africa's standing on the continent. 
 
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Comment 
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¶6. (SBU)  Mbete's discussion of whether the Union Buildings 
or Luthuli House has more input into final decisions taken by 
the Zuma government gets to the heart of where power rests in 
the post-Mbeki era.  While it is clear that Luthuli House was 
consulted early and extensively during the formation of the 
Zuma government, it is becoming increasingly clear that 
Cabinet is making final decisions and then implementing them 
-- often without talking with the ANC first.  Such an 
arrangement is not bad in the short term as the ANC most 
likely will be concerned with strengthening the party, 
preparing for the 2011 local elections, and wrestling with 
rumors of a new succession battle ahead of 2012.  Over the 
longer term, however, any disconnect between the Union 
Buildings and Luthuli House will weaken leaders both in 
government and in the party. 
GIPS