Mbeki implored to "tell the truth" over suspension of prosecutor

Oct 7, 2007, 15:09 GMT

Johannesburg - South African President Thabo Mbeki came under mounting pressure over the weekend to explain his suspension of the country's top prosecutor, a controversial move weeks before a crunch vote on his leadership of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

'Tell us the truth, Mr President,' the best-selling Sunday Times newspaper implored in a front-page headline, as opposition leaders accused Mbeki of 'misleading the nation.'

South Africa has been thrown into a political crisis after it emerged that Mbeki suspended National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) chief Vusi Pikoli days after the NPA obtained arrest and search warrants for national police commissioner Jackie Selebi.

The revelations appeared to discredit the presidency's initial explanation that Pikoli was suspended because of 'an irretrievable breakdown' in his working relationship with Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla.

The affair has also raised questions about Mbeki's relationship with the country's top cop - Selebi is also the head of Interpol - who has been accused of being cosy with criminals.

The NPA on Friday confirmed that it had obtained two warrants against Selebi prior to Pikoli's suspension on September 23.

It also revealed that Mokotedi Mpshe, the acting head of the NPA, had cancelled the warrant for Selebi's arrest pending his review of the case against the police commissioner.

Selebi is being investigated over his alleged links to organized crime. While admitting to a friendship with a suspect in the 2005 murder of corrupt mining magnate Brett Kebble, Selebi has denied any involvement in criminality.

Mbeki last year downplayed the allegations against Selebi, saying he could be trusted to act against the police chief if necessary.

Opposition parties this week heaped scorn on the official version of Pikoli's suspension.

'The nation has been misled,' said Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille. 'It has all to do with the Selebi affair.'

'The perception that is being created now is that, indeed there is a friendship that we don't understand between the president and Selebi,' according to the national chairwoman of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Zanele Magwaza-Msibi.

'It is quite clear that he (Mbeki) has intervened to stop the Selebi warrant and that in itself constitutes a crisis,' said the leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, urging Mbeki to provide clarification.

In a statement the government 'categorically denied' Mbeki suspended Pikoli in attempt to protect Selebi and urged South Africans to await the results of a commission of inquiry into Pikoli's fitness for office.

An irritated Mbeki himself, when confronted by a television journalist over the affair, merely pointed out that a president does 'not handle warrants.'

The furore comes ahead of a crunch ANC party conference in December, at which the party is set to elect a new leader.

Mbeki, who has served two five-year terms as party leader, appears to be courting a third term over archrival, ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma.

The NPA is investigating Zuma following the conviction in 2005 of his former financial adviser for fraud relating to South Africa's biggest-ever arms acquisition deal. That conviction led to Mbeki sacking Zuma as state deputy president, a decision that forged deep divisions in the party.

Analysts have speculated that Pikoli's suspension may also be related to the NPA's failure to bring fresh corruption charges against Zuma. A first corruption case against Zuma was thrown out of court late last year over delays.