JOHANNESBURG - Competing camps and lobby groups in the ruling party are said to be urging Motlanthe to challenge Zuma, as the race for the ANC top post is gaining pace in the run-up to the party’s elective conference in December.

Political analyst Keith Gottschalk believes it would be in bad taste for Motlanthe or any other senior party figure to publicly declare their candidacy for the ANC’s top post..

Gottschalk argues that it should be expected that those who want to challenge Zuma will not say so publicly.

“They will disguise their words,” he said.

Motlanthe  yesterday distanced himself through his spokesman from media reports that claimed he had struck a deal with Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale in a bid to unseat Zuma at the ANC’s national  conference  later this year.

“He has never been part of any campaign and he has not expressed any wish to become president,” Thabo Masebe, his spokesman  said yesterday.

Gottschalk was sceptical over whether an alliance between Motlanthe and Sexwale would work to unseat Zuma, saying they would need strong lobbying to succeed.

“It is normal in politics for politicians to form tactical alliances, whether their alliance will be viable would depend on lobbying between now and December.”

– musam@citizen.co.za