"I believe what he said in that letter, and I have no reason not to believe him, because he showed his loyalty to the ANC by stepping down with dignity when he was asked to do so by the party," he told a debate on the country's political landscape held at the University of South Africa.

Another panellist, political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, said June
2005, when Jacob Zuma was axed as the deputy president of the country, was the turning point for the ANC.

"That sealed Mbeki's fate. His recall was also underestimated by the new leadership."

Matshiqi said the party would not be in power forever.

"Zuma said ANC would rule until Christ comes back, for me that means the coming of Christ is nearer."

He said it was disappointing to watch the ANC and its dissidents
fight.

"The ANC is accused of deviating from the Freedom Charter [when seeking a political solution in Zuma's corruption case] but we are not told that it's not the first time this has happened within the party.

"A political solution was once sought within the ANC, as you would remember in the axing of [suspended head of the National Prosecuting Authority Vusi] Pikoli."

Matshiqi said there was a "slight difference" between former defence minister Terror Lekota and former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

"Terror serves divorce papers but refuses to leave the bedroom,
which is what Mbhazima has done."

He said the ANC was seeing a case of bad losers and bad winners.

"There is even a custody battle for the Freedom Charter's values,
but none for the child [ANCYL president Julius Malema] with foul
language."

Matshiqi said the new ANC leadership failed in achieving integration and internal healing.

"Our democracy is under a serious test and in my view it will
survive," Matshiqi said in closing.

In his response Mantashe said they had bent over backwards to
accommodate everyone and had appealed to all those in government to remain in their posts.

"We have taken the custody of the child with the foul language, even under pressure we have refused to disown him."

Walter Sisulu University council chairman Somadoda Fikile said the country had seen a contest of personalities within the ANC. This had left little room to focus on "structural issues", he said.

There were also contradictions between the ANC's and the SACP's
utterances on economic policy.

Zuma and President Kgalema Motlanthe had said economic policies were not going to change.

"The SA Communist Party says the economic policies would be
changing."