The dangerously fractious nature of the ruling alliance led by the African National Congress (ANC) has amply been demonstrated since Jacob Zuma became president. Recent events around Eskom were but one ? if not the most graphic ? example of a recurring theme.

Diverse issues ? often unconnected in content and significance ? have at various times caused serious tensions in the alliance, constantly shuffling around the different stakeholders in a political game of musical chairs, threatening to pull the alliance apart and deliver the Zuma administration into the realm of ungovernability.

Only the other day, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) pooled their resources and energy to assist the majority in the ANC to oust former president Thabo Mbeki and install Zuma in his place. All three felt marginalised by Mbeki for varying reasons, and to varying degrees. After that point, there apparently was unity.

But then, over an issue such as the debate to nationalise South Africa's mines, the ANCYL, SACP and Cosatu banded together, opposed by the ANC and the government and even one of Cosatu?s own unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num).

Not enough "Africans" in the economic cluster

Some cynics in the alliance will justify this by calling it "robust debate" and a "democratic culture of allowing different views". But recently, several 'debates' have gone sour and much beyond that point, producing uncomfortable schisms.

Shortly afterwards, however, Cosatu and the ANCYL were at loggerheads over comments from ANCYL leaders who complained there were not enough "Africans" appointed to head economic cluster ministries.

Cosatu countered by saying it was quite happy with the appointment of Ebrahim Patel (Economic Development) and Rob Davies (Trade and Industry) ? both left-wingers ? as well as those of Gill Marcus (Reserve Bank Governor), Pravin Gordhan (Finance) and Barbara Hogan (Public Enterprises); none of them "Africans" (another of South Africa's divisive, problematic and confusing race classifying terms).

For Cosatu and the SACP, the race of ministerial appointees mattered less than that they be "the right people" ? in other words, leftists such as Patel and Davies who would further the socialist agenda.

ANC, alliance pulling in different directions

Nonetheless, another clear demonstration of the various factions in the government, the ANC and the broader alliance pulling in different directions, came with the release of a national planning Green Paper by National Planning Minister Trevor Manuel.

The issue divided the ANC and different Cabinet ministers, with some playing for both audiences, others siding with one or the other faction, and with President Zuma remaining mostly silently unseen somewhere in the middle.

Then along comes the issue of the resignation of Eskom's chief executive officer Jacob Maroga, with the ANCYL and the Black Management Forum (BMF) claiming there was no resignation and blaming it all on "the racist" Bobby Godsell, Eskom's now-resigned chairperson.

All of which caused Cosatu, the ANC, the Num, Business Leadership SA (BLSA), the Institute of Directors and others ? from widely diverse political and ideological corners ? to jump to Godsell?s defence, insisting he was no racist, and lashing out at the ANCYL and the BMF.

On page two; Playing the race card every time.

Article courtesy of Leadership Magazine.