21 December 2007 SPECIAL FEATURE - ANC CONFERENCE Zuma's ANC team Treasurer-general Mathews Phosa By Prakash Naidoo

Given his deeply acrimonious relationship with President Thabo Mbeki, it came as no surprise when Mathews Phosa emerged as a serious player in the Zuma camp. Phosa worked closely with Zuma in exile, where both served in Umkhonto we Sizwe in Swaziland. Phosa was appointed the first premier of Mpumalanga in 1994, but lost the position after Mbeki took office five years later. His fractious relationship with Mbeki plummeted even further when he, together with Tokyo Sexwale and Cyril Ramaphosa, was falsely accused of being part of a plot to overthrow the president. Phosa is a respected businessman and chairs Business Unity SA. He is a lawyer by profession and earned a high profile among local activists. He was among the first cadres to return from exile in 1990 and was an influential member of the ANC's negotiating team. Phosa speaks eight languages and has written an anthology of Afrikaans poems. touted as a compromise presidential candidate. 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

Reader's Comments