S. Africa Ruling Party Dissidents Gain New Supporter
By VOA News
15 October 2008
Another prominent politician has resigned from South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), in a sign of growing division in the ruling party.
Mbhazima Shilowa, former premier of South Africa's Gauteng province, told reporters Tuesday that he would join ANC dissidents planning to form a breakaway party.
Shilowa said the dissidents would hold a convention on November 2 at a place to be determined.
Shilowa is one of several ANC leaders who resigned their posts this month after the party forced President Thabo Mbeki to step down.
The dissidents are led by former defense minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who has accused ANC leaders of promoting tribalism and turning their backs on democratic traditions.
The ANC has been South Africa's ruling party since the end of apartheid in 1994.
On Tuesday, ANC leader Jacob Zuma said the party will not tolerate members who promote factionalism, and he warned that "history has been unkind" to those who left the ANC. The party suspended Lekota on Monday.
Tensions within the ANC have been high for months because of the heated political rivalry between Zuma and Mr. Mbeki.
A Zuma ally, Kgalema Mothlanthe, is currently serving as South Africa's caretaker president. Zuma is in line to become the country's next president when elections are held in April.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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