Cosatu, ANC at odds over Manuel

Midrand - An angry clash is building up between the ANC and Cosatu about the powers held by Trevor Manuel, Minister in the Presidency, and Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Economic Development.

Cosatu maintains that Manuel's Green Paper on national planning makes him a "super-minister", to whom Patel will be subordinate. At its Midrand conference Cosatu consequently launched a vicious attack on the former confidants of ex-President Thabo Mbeki.

On Tuesday ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe attempted to step into the breach for Manuel. He reminded Cosatu that Manuel's powers in no way differed from the objectives sketched out for the National Planning Commission.

This commission had been agreed upon for the first time in October last year during an economic conference held by the alliance partners.

Mantashe quoted from the formal decision in question at that summit. "The commission will have the power to bring the workings of all state departments into line with government's development agenda."

According to Mantashe, it's exactly those powers accorded to the National Planning Commission that were announced two weeks ago in Manuel's Green Paper. "I can't see what the problem is," he said.

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi responded sharply, saying it had already been agreed to at the ANC's national conference in Polokwane.

"The agreement was that the National Planning Commission would be created by the Presidency. Its purpose would be to ensure that the ideals of a development state would be aimed for.

"There would be no Minister of National Planning - only a minister in the Presidency who was responsible for the National Planning Commission," he said.

He turned to Mantashe on his left while he was speaking, to the applause of the delegates.

"On the other hand President Jacob Zuma gave a mandate to the Minister of Economic Development to handle economic policy, with its own ministry and State Department. He has responsibility for areas such as macro and micro economic development and planning," Vavi continued.

He considers that the Green Paper has "a structural problem and weakness" and therefore Cosatu must therefore fight it. It makes Manuel a type of Prime Minister who is in effect second in command.

"He becomes a super-minister, before whom all other ministers must line up to get their plans approved," Vavi declared.

The Green Paper makes clear provision for officials in the Presidency to supervise the activities of state departments.

"This is presented as a technocratic planning intervention but in reality is a political manoeuvre.

"It has serious consequences for political control and democratic processes and, if it is not corrected, can reverse the progress made at Polokwane."

A sharply worded draft resolution, demanding that the proposed powers for Manuel's commission be curtailed, will be presented to the Congress on Wednesday.

- Sake24.com

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