President Thabo Mbeki's "fight-back campaign" betrayed a reckless disregard for the country's stability and its international standing, the South African Communist Party said on Tuesday.

The presidency's dramatic announcement on Tuesday of the resignation of 11 cabinet ministers and three deputy ministers was a reckless attempt to provoke a sense of crisis and to blame it on the ANC's national executive committee, the SACP said in a statement.

On Sunday, Mbeki delivered a "consummate and moving performance" in announcing his resignation, said SACP spokesperson Malesela Maleka.

"Many in our country, and perhaps even in the ANC, were beginning to wonder why the ANC's national executive committee had recalled him in the first place," he said.

"Barely one-and-a-half days later, we have all been rudely reminded of the underlying reason for his recall."

The presidency's announcement of the resignations "must have been endorsed by Mbeki himself", the SACP said.

"We understand that the announcement was made without the slightest consultation with the officials of the ANC."

"We understand that at least some of the resignations were handed in last week, before there had been any interaction between the ANC leadership and cabinet."

"Some of these resignations appear to have been tabled on the basis of the misunderstanding that the resignation of the President necessarily required the resignation of his cabinet."

"This would only have been constitutionally required had there been a Parliamentary vote of no confidence," it said.

It was a hurried ANC-convened press conference "after the fact", and explanations from some key ministers which had helped to calm matters down.

"However, once again we have been reminded of the underlying reason for the ANC's recall of Mbeki."

"Duplicity, the flouting of longstanding ANC traditions of collective leadership and respect for the unity of the organisation have been hallmarks of the outgoing presidency."

The SACP said it was sure the majority of South Africans would not allow the recklessness to prevail and would work with its allies to ensure it did not prevail.

"As the SACP, we will make sure that our revolution is not derailed either by our enemies and our detractors from 'within.'"

"We call upon all communist(s) to defend the correct decisions taken by the ANC NEC."

Sapa