I can only say that a secret ballot is imperative in the current political climate. The ANC leadership's latest witch hunt (which actually already started with Zuma's cabinet reshuffle) against any member who does not toe the party line is further proof of that. It is blatant intimidation against their members in my view. And Mbete is not immune to that either. So it is not so much about the possibilities of bribes for example, but about providing a safeguard against this intimidation by (a not-so-democratic) ANC party leadership as we had too clearly seen lately. That should be the crux of the matter. If the ballot was open, nobody would vote against any ANC/NEC policy purely out of fear for their futures, livelihood and even lives (just look at the alarming increase in political murders among ANC members over the past year). It is as if being an ANC member equates to living in constant fear of something or somebody.