Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki

The 18-member council appointed last year includes international experts such as Harvard University's Professor Dani Rodrik University College London's Professor Mariana Mazzucato former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala former governor of the Bank of Tanzania Professor Benno Ndulu former chief economic advisor to former President Thabo Mbeki Professor Alan Hirsch and economist Thabi Leoka...

The next phase of Denel's development according to ex-ANC MP and arms trade expert Andrew Feinstein came under President Thabo Mbeki and his then deputy Jacob Zuma and the notorious $7 billion 'arms deal' when enormous quantities of European military equipment were purchased after the payment of huge bribes (AC Vol 44 No 18 BAE's role in SA's big arms deal & Vol 59 No 7 No farewell to arms deals)...

Ramaphosa will probably be able to explain the matter to the satisfaction of the ANC Integrity Commission many of whose appointees are party members who rose to prominence during Thabo Mbeki's presidency and detest Zuma and his acolytes...

In what is believed to be the country's first 'online rally' more than 300 ANC veterans business and church leaders and anti-corruption activists took part in a spirited meeting on 21 August addressed by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela former ANC Cabinet Minister Derek Hanekom respected anti-apartheid church leader and former head of the presidency under Thabo Mbeki the Reverend Frank Chikane and leading organised business leader Sandile Zungu of the Black Business Council...

And senior members of the ruling party including the first post-apartheid defence minister Joe Modise and the then deputy president Thabo Mbeki seem to have calculated that major new arms purchases from Western powers would bring lucrative fringe benefits including funds to help pay for the ANC's 1999 election campaign (AC Vol 44 No 18 BAE's role in SA's big arms deal)...

That forum was to have witnessed they hoped a repeat of their triumphant challenge to President Thabo Mbeki in 2007 which soon led to his resignation...

Thabo Mbeki's visit in November 2019 indicates that South Africa is invested in stabilising the Zimbabwean political landscape...

For their part Ramaphosa's enemies intend to use the tactics Zuma employed when he launched the rebellion against ex-President Thabo Mbeki at the General Council of 2005...

It includes Alan Hirsch the chief government economist under former President Thabo Mbeki up-and-coming economist Thabi Leoka and energy expert Grové Steyn...

Also on board are the MP James  Ngculu who led the provincial ANC in the 2000s and was a supporter of Thabo Mbeki along with the former provincial secretary Faiz Jacobs now one of Magashule's main allies in the province...