'Foundations' withdrawal revival of Ramaphosa v Mbeki fallout'

The renewed feud between President Cyril Ramaphosa and former president Thabo Mbeki dates back to before 1994 and their disagreement over preparations for the upcoming national convention has opened old wounds, experts say.

- Eric Mthobeli Naki

Political analyst Sandile Swana and University of South Africa political scientist Prof Dirk Kotzé said the tension between the two leaders started during negotiations in the 1990s for the new democratic dispensation.

They were reacting to the decisions by six legacy foundations – the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Steve Biko Foundation, FW de Klerk Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation and Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation – to withdraw from the National Dialogue preparations.

The foundations said the convention has deviated from the plan to have the process led by civil society, or citizens. Instead, matters were being rushed without proper consultation by the government, which had centralised the process.

Ramaphosa said this week's convention would go ahead as planned, implying it would move on without the foundations' participation.