enviornment minister moosa to resign, page-3

Here is the Moosa story from Star.Co.Za

SOUTH AFRICA

It's time to move on and do something else, says Moosa
November 24, 2003

By Jeremy Michaels

Political Bureau

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa is bowing out of "a wonderfully exciting" career in the government.

Moosa yesterday said: "I've been in the government for 10 years, had a wonderfully exciting career in President Mandela's cabinet and now President Mbeki's cabinet. "Now it's time to move on and do something else.

"Notwithstanding the fact that I'm only 46, I've spent 25 years in politics - I have a long life ahead of me," he said.

Moosa said he would continue to serve his five-year term on the ANC's national executive committee, to which he was elected at the party's national conference in Stellenbosch last year.

"The ANC is my life, so I'll continue with my activities," he said, adding that he would also continue helping to rebuild the country.

"I have not decided exactly what I will do, but whatever I do I will want to be part of the reconstruction and development of this country and continue to contribute towards the deepening of democracy."

Asked whether he was quitting because of frustrations with government policies on HIV/Aids, among others, Moosa said: "I've had a wonderful experience in the government and I've found it very rewarding. It's purely a personal decision."
Moosa's decision to quit is one of the surprises following the ANC's national list conference held in Gauteng at the weekend, especially as he was one of the most popular NEC candidates at the Stellenbosch conference.


He is the second minister to declare his non-availability to serve in the next cabinet if the ANC wins next year's election.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Penuell Maduna enraged the ANC when he told Independent Newspapers two months ago that he would not serve in the next cabinet. Maduna was the fifth most popular NEC candidate in Stellenbosch. The ANC issued an extraordinary public rebuke to Maduna for going public with the announcement before informing his party.

ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said yesterday Moosa had "informed the leadership a month or so ago" about his decision, and it was the party which made Moosa's decision public after its election list conference in Gauteng at the weekend.

No other minister, including Transport Minister Dullah Omar, who has been recovering from cancer, had indicated that they were not going to be available again, Ngonyama said.

Ngonyama also confirmed that embattled former transport minister Mac Maharaj was not on the party's list, following media reports that he had been nominated but subsequently removed by the list conference on Friday.

"As far as I know he is not on the list - he has retired from active politics," Ngonyama said.

Maharaj immediately dismissed the reports, saying: "There's no truth to that story. Yes, I was nominated, but it's simple - I retired long ago, and I even rejected nomination for the NEC."