21 December 2007 SPECIAL FEATURE - ANC CONFERENCE Zuma's ANC team Deputy SG Thandi Modise By Prakash Naidoo

It would be an injustice to see Thandi Modise's elevation to the post of deputy secretary-general on the Zuma ticket simply as a means of achieving gender parity. Modise, speaker of the North West legislature and, until 2004, chair of parliament's portfolio committee on defence, is among the most competent and principled members of the ANC caucus. Her political activism started in 1976 when, as a student, she was jailed for 10 years for her anti-apartheid activities. In fact she was the first woman MK guerrilla to be arrested and imprisoned. She's been a member of the ANC Women's Executive Committee since 1994. Her strained relationship with the Mbeki bloc dates back to the arms deal investigation when she was chair of the defence portfolio committee. She advocates a more moral policy on defence and believes strongly in asserting parliament's oversight role. It is this independent spirit which has led to Modise being passed over for more senior positions befitting her talents and intellect. ZUMA'S ANC TEAM CLICK HERE FOR THE PROFILES Deputy president: Kgalema Motlanthe Chairman: Baleka Mbete Secretary-general: Gwede Mantashe Deputy SG: Thandi Modise Treasurer-general: Mathews Phosa

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