TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MO SHAIK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000169 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL SF SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MO SHAIK PRETORIA 00000169 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Teitelbaum. Reasons 1.4( b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. POLOFF met Mo Shaik, advisor to ANC President Jacob Zuma, on 24 January to discuss Zuma's win last month and where the Zuma camp is headed over the next year. Not surprisingly, Shaik viewed Zuma's victory as a "triumph for democracy," but complained that President Mbeki was a sore loser. However, within the past couple of weeks, Mbeki has been "better behaved," and has even warmed to the idea of appointing ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe as national Deputy President. Over the next several months, Zuma will campaign for the national presidency, while his lawyers pursue their case in court that Zuma is unable to receive a fair trial. Shaik ended the meeting by suggesting that the US reach out to Zuma and other top ANC office bearers "as soon as possible," as other Western Embassies have since Zuma assumed the ANC Presidency in late December ¶2007. END SUMMARY. -------------- OFF TO A ROUGH START, BUT IMPROVING -------------- ¶2. (C) On 24 January, POLOFF met with Mo Shaik, one of ANC President Jacob Zuma's advisors, to discuss post-victory sentiments within the Zuma camp and their strategies for fighting Zuma's corruption charges and campaigning for the national Presidency. Shaik felt the fact that branch delegates did not abandon their "branch mandate," despite offers of patronage and cash, was a "triumph for democracy." Shaik credits Zuma's win with the ability of his key allies -- former intelligence, United Democratic Movement, and trade union members -- to understand what was actually happening on the ground, and more importantly, how to mobilize support. He portrayed Mbeki, in contrast, as a leader out of touch with grassroots members. "Mbeki merely occupied intellectual space," he said, which had no impact on the election. ¶3. (C) Shaik also portrayed Mbeki as a sore loser, complaining about Mbeki's behavior immediately after Polokwane. Shaik was particularly perturbed by Mbeki's comments to the press about the state's case against former National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi on the same day (a Saturday) Zuma spoke at the ANC's 96th Anniversary event. Shaik believes Mbeki purposefully stole the limelight from both Zuma and the ANC. Over the past two weeks, however, Shaik admitted that Mbeki has been "better behaved," attending the ANC lekgotla and acknowledging that ANC policy sets South African Government policy. ¶4. (C) Mbeki also appears on board with placing ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in a cabinet-level position, according to Shaik. Shaik said that Mbeki has even "co-opted" the idea as his own and will likely appoint Motlanthe as either his only Deputy President or as a second Deputy President alongside current DepPres Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. (COMMENT: According to the Constitution, the cabinet consists of "a Deputy President," making it more likely that Motlanthe would replace Mlambo-Ngcuka if appointed. END COMMENT) Shaik suspects that Mbeki's plan is to stroke Motlanthe's ego, give him some real power, and surround him with "Mbeki-ites." -------------- NEXT BATTLE: THE PRESIDENCY -------------- ¶5. (C) Early elections are unlikely since constitutional provisions would make if difficult, according to Shaik, unless Mbeki pushes the Zuma camp into a corner. (NOTE: Qunless Mbeki pushes the Zuma camp into a corner. (NOTE: Presidential advisor Neva Makgetla also echoed Shaik's comments on 25 January, saying "Mbeki will last only if he starts letting go." The next national election is expected to be around April 2009, but could be held earlier if the National Assembly dissolves itself by a majority vote. The Constitution allows two other methods of replacing Mbeki early, but would not require new elections (septel). END NOTE) That said, the "battle for the national presidency" is just beginning, Shaik warned, adding that the timing of the Zuma charges should be seen in that light. Shaik believes Mbeki wanted to put Zuma on the defensive from the beginning. For Zuma's part, Shaik said Zuma will use the next few months to highlight Mbeki's failings as President: "Mbeki may have stabilized macroeconomic policy, but at the expense of not dealing with key infrastructure demands like energy, not capacitating the civil service, not dealing with crime, PRETORIA 00000169 002.2 OF 002 HIV/AIDS, Zimbabwe, etc." He also added that Mbeki still wants ForMin Dlamini-Zuma to succeed him, but realizes now that it is unlikely. -------------- -------------- ZUMA TO CONTINUE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION CHARGES -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Shaik said that Zuma's legal team will file a motion in the Constitutional Court in February or March arguing that he cannot receive a fair trial as guaranteed by the Constitution. Shaik believes that the Constitutional Court's decision regarding Schabir Shaik's ability to receive a fair trial, while unfavorable, nonetheless left the door open to the argument by suggesting that if Shaik had made this claim earlier in the process (i.e., not after being convicted),he might have had a case. If the case does end up in court, Shaik is confident that Zuma will win; "there are a number of holes" in the State's case which Zuma's legal team plans to exploit, he said. For instance, he told POLOFF that one of the key witnesses (NFI) in the Shaik and Zuma cases is a convicted felon, and that the National Prosecuting Authority hid that information from the Shaik's defense team. Shaik believes the story will break within the next week. -------------- SHAIK ENCOURAGES US ENGAGEMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) POLOFF stressed to Shaik that rumors of the US funding Mbeki's campaign for ANC President were ridiculous. Shaik said he had heard the rumor, but that he did not believe them nor did he think Zuma believed them. However, Shaik confirmed that many do believe the rumor, mainly because of the perceived closeness between Mbeki's legal advisor Mojanku Gumbi and US officials. He also stated that former intelligence boss Billy Masethla's report (NFI) -- which also is to be leaked soon -- claims that Gumbi's relationship with the US has compromised national security and that Gumbi provided classified information to US officials. To put the rumors to rest, Shaik recommended that Ambassador Bost meet with Zuma and the other top five ANC officials as soon as possible, noting that other Western Embassies have already requested meetings. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) While questions remain about how close Zuma and Shaik actually are, Shaik has continued to reach out to EmbOffs and provide us with reliable information. Regardless of whether he has Zuma's ear, Shaik obviously is plugged into Zuma's camp's thinking. ¶9. (C) The DCM and PolCouns met with Zuma in May 2007 and Durban CG has maintained close contacts with Zuma's confidantes at both the local and provincial level. Embassy and constituent posts have developed an expanded contact strategy to strengthen or build new relationships with top-level ANC members. Ambassador is planning to make arrangements to meet with Zuma in his capacity as ANC President in the near future. BOST