Gangster State

the dirty laundry of some of Magashule’s allies, including an incident
in which Matosa allegedly pointed a firearm at a traffic official after
being stopped for reckless driving.^20
But Lekota’s tactic backfired on him. His attacks over the airwaves
were viewed as a step too far by the ANC’s national leadership, which
has always preferred resolving its conflicts internally and as quietly as
possible. In November 1996 , Lekota and his cabinet were asked to
resign. The national leadership tasked a ‘caretaker committee’ headed
by then labour minister Tito Mboweni to take over the reins in the
conflict-ridden province.^21 The ANC also disbanded the PEC chaired
by Matosa.
To some, the move was seen as a serious censure levelled at Lekota
and his camp. This may be true to some extent. Mandela and his fellow
party leaders would not have been happy with how the Free State had
degenerated into a political war zone under Lekota’s watch. However,
some of those who were present when the matter came to a head within
the ANC’s top leadership structures say Mandela saved the bulk of his
wrath for the Magashule faction.
Before a meeting at Shell House, the ANC’s head office at the time,
Mandela summoned the foremost individuals from both sides of the
divide to his residence in Cape Town. Among those in attendance were
Magashule, Matosa, Mayekiso, Lekota and Gregory Nthatisi.
Apparently Mandela was especially furious about how the northern
camp had undermined Lekota’s authority as premier. ‘Mandela told Pat
[Matosa] that he was showing bad leadership as chairperson by not
taking responsibility for the infighting, and for allowing himself to be
influenced by others,’ said one source who attended the meeting. This
person believes the latter remark was a reference to Magashule, who