The ANC’s deputy secretary-general, Sankie Mthembi- Mahanyele, criticised Cosatu’s insistence that there is a political conspiracy against former Deputy President Jacob Zuma as the rift between the two alliance partners continued to widen this week.

Mthembi-Mahanyele rejected Cosatu’s call for an urgent meeting to discuss the alleged conspiracy, in the wake of its public denunciation of the ANC national executive committee’s position that there is no political conspiracy against Zuma.

She told the Sunday Times that Zuma had informed the national executive committee that he believed “external forces” were behind the “conspiracy” but had stopped short of naming them.

She said the committee did not ask Zuma for further explanation as he had said this would emerge at his corruption trial, which starts next July.

“Cosatu has been told about the deputy president’s decision,” she said. “If they want to discuss the matter I do not know what they want to talk about.”

Zuma and his supporters have consistently claimed that a conspiracy exists to sabotage his chances of succeeding President Thabo Mbeki as president of the ANC and the country.

The ANC secretary-general, Kgalema Motlanthe, briefed Cosatu’s central executive committee meeting about the ANC’s decisions, including the party’s resolution dismissing claims of a conspiracy against Zuma.

The ANC adopted the position at the end of its marathon national executive committee meeting, rejecting any suggestion of a political conspiracy in the ANC or its leadership.

But Cosatu’s secretary-general, Zwelinzima Vavi, said many factors contributed to the federation’s firm belief in the Zuma conspiracy theory.

Vavi said although Cosatu accepted that the ANC, like Cosatu, was an independent organisation whose positions were informed by its internal discussion, the alliance partners needed to meet and thrash the issue out.

“That is why Cosatu is calling for a 10-a-side meeting to ensure that a full summit is held... so that the matter can be debated,” Vavi said.

However, Mthembi-Mahanyele said the party had not received any proposal from Cosatu.

Cosatu’s central executive committee discussed several issues, including the rape allegations against Zuma, the alleged conspiracy, Zuma’s corruption trial and the ANC’s decisions on the Zuma affair.

Vavi said: “We regard the NEC discussion and pronouncement as progress, particularly the fact that the ANC at last is taking political responsibility to provide leadership.”

Asked about Cosatu’s position on proposals that Zuma and Mbeki should step aside to allow an alternative candidate to assume the ANC presidency, Vavi said Cosatu had never nominated Zuma. He said Cosatu was merely defending Zuma’s rights, including his right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence until guilt was proved.

On the rape allegations, Vavi said Cosatu would comment only if the police could confirm that there is a rape charge against Zuma.

•On Friday, Mbeki used his weekly online letter to dismiss suggestions that he had a “hostile or malicious attitude” towards Zuma or that any plot to undermine his deputy existed in the ANC leadership.

With acknowledgements to Moipone Malefane and the Sunday Times.