Ivy tipped for deputy president

Last night, Cabinet voted for communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to be acting president until Kgalema Motlanthe is sworn in today.

Sources close to the ruling African National Congress (ANC) say this could indicate Matsepe-Casaburri could be tipped as the country's next deputy president. If so, she will be one of three women candidates being considered, along with National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete and housing minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

The possibility of Matsepe-Casaburri being made deputy president was only raised late last night, as the main focus of the political debate had been on president Thabo Mbeki's resignation due to his "recall" by the ANC.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's resignation, along with another 12 Cabinet members, came into effect at one second past midnight and so the position of deputy president is technically vacant.

"There are indications that Matsepe-Casaburri has a strong chance of being made deputy president, as the ANC wants to have a woman near the main seat of power, but there are few candidates to choose from," a source says.

Matsepe-Casaburri has been heavily criticised within the IT and telecommunications industry for her policy of "managed liberalisation", which many argue has not brought down costs.

She has been particularly criticised for her department's recent decision to appeal the court ruling that allows value-added network services to build their own networks.

However, within ANC circles she is considered somewhat of a peacemaker and an elder statesperson.

"The minister has been very careful not to be involved in any particular camp, such as pro Mbeki or pro [Jacob] Zuma," the source says. "So she is seen to be neutral in that respect and she also has solid credentials as a socialist."

Matsepe-Casaburri has held the position of acting president before, the last time being a year ago when both Mbeki and Mlambo-Ngcuka were out of the country.

In 2005, Mbeki grouped Matsepe-Casaburri, along with health minister Manto Tshabala-Msimang, social development minister Zola Skweyiya and finance minister Trevor Manuel, as part of a pool of "acting presidents" who would perform the role of head of state should he and the deputy president be out of the country at the same time.

This time, Matsepe-Casaburri will occupy the seat of power during a particularly critical 14 hours and 30 minutes in the country's history, as she fills the vacuum left by Mbeki's departure, before Motlanthe's swearing in as president at Tuinhuis, at 2.30pm today.

Another ANC source says the ruling party is already moving into pre-election mode and so it may choose a deputy president who has a strong constituency within the party and can add some vibrancy to the position.

"But there is still a chance for Matsepe-Casaburri. Mbete has done a good job in calming Parliament and so may be needed just where she is as Speaker. Sisulu has made her mark as one of the Cabinet members who has been highly critical of Mbeki and that probably places her in a strong position to be deputy president," the source says.

The source also says that whoever is chosen would have to have the blessing of the "new ANC" and the new president would have to be mindful of that.

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