ANC and partners put differences aside

Despite recent tensions within the tripartite alliance, sparked mainly by sharp differences over foreign policy matters, the partners have agreed to continue to co-operate on major issues that bind their constituencies. This signals the parties' determination to continue their relationship despite recent public spats among their leaders about government's handling of problems in Zimbabwe and the black economic empowerment programme. The alliance's secretariat, made up of representatives of the African National Congress (ANC), Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the South African National Civic Association (Sanco) and the South African Communist Party met this week and resolved that the parties would jointly celebrate the ANC's 93rd anniversary. They will also jointly work on plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. The outcome of the alliance's secretariat meeting signals the parties' determination to remain in the relationship even though their leaderships have differed fundamentally in public on how to deal with Zimbabwe's human and labour rights violations. (Business Day, Johannesburg)