The Hatchet Men

Wisani wa ka Ngobeni lines up the men behind the fall of a president

Fikile Mbalula

Mbalula is a leading figure in ANC president Jacob Zuma’s inner circle. He was central to Zuma’s campaign to lead the ruling party — and to the axing of President Thabo Mbeki.

The former ANC Youth League president has been on Zuma’s side since the latter was fired as the country’s deputy president in 2005.

Mbalula — now serving as a member of the party’s powerful national executive committee — was key to Zuma’s strategy of reaching out to the ANC grass roots. Mbalula was not at this weekend’s NEC because he is undergoing a traditional Xhosa initiation in Cape Town.

Julius Malema

The newly elected president of the ANC Youth League is a strong Zuma supporter.

His ascendence to the youth league’s top post was engineered by Mbalula.

While Mbalula’s role was to defeat Mbeki’s attempt to serve a third term as president of the ANC, Malema has been instrumental in removing Mbeki as president of the country.
Malema was one of the first ANC leaders to call publicly for Mbeki’s removal and this week he threatened to publicly chastise ‘‘cowardly’’ members of the party’s NEC who attempted to block the move.

Zwelinzima Vavi

Like Mbalula, Cosatu ’s general secretary belongs to the inner circle of the Zuma camp. He has been with Zuma through thick and thin and believes Zuma has been badly treated by the ANC and the National Prosecuting Authority. Vavi has sought to use Zuma’s cause to steer the ANC towards leftist policies. In 2005, he said any effort to stop Zuma from becoming president would be like ‘‘trying to fight against the big wave of the tsunami’’. Vavi’s influence in the Zuma camp was demonstrated in February this year when Cosatu forced Zuma to change his tune about flexibility in the labour market.

Blade Nzimande

A staunch supporter of Zuma, the general secretary of the South African Communist Party was one of the key strategists behind Zuma’s campaign for the ANC presidency.

He believes the ANC should act in the interests of the workers and the poor.

He now occupies a powerful and influential position as member of both the ANC NEC and its national working committee — which deals with the day-to-day affairs of the ruling party.

Many in the ANC say he is not afraid to speak his mind, and describe him as the "brains" behind Zuma.

Billy Masetlha

Former National Intelligence Agency boss Billy Masetlha is a leading figure in the “coalition of the wounded”. The coalition is made up of people who have been rejected by Mbeki, or who had been “victimised” by the president. Masetlha has cleverly integrated himself in the Zuma camp and has been a leading figure in the campaigns to oust Mbeki. Masetlha and Mbeki — who were once confidantes — turned against one another overnight after a hoax e-mail scandal. Masetlha is facing prosecution over the scandal. Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils claims Masetlha had used his position to ‘‘advance’’ Zuma’s political career.