“President Cyril Ramaphosa, the darling of the capitalists, has a talent for secretly getting rid of his political opponents within the ANC, without him being seen directly doing so,” said political analyst Bheki Mngomezulu.
The University of Western Cape professor made this comment soon after the ANC had announced the expulsion of Carl Niehaus, who is a known adversary Ramaphosa.
Niehaus, the ANC and MKVA activist, had for some time held sole picketings wherever the party’s national executive committee met, calling for Ramaphosa to be held accountable for the Phala Phala scandal, which involved the theft of more than half a million US dollars from his private residence.
Mngomezulu made an example of Ace Magashule who was removed from being ANC secretary-general, following criminal charges against him.
“Right now we are seeing a situation whereby the likes of Bathabile Dlamini, Tony Yengeni, people who are vocal in saying the president must step down, are the ones who have been kicked out of the race,” said Mngomezulu.
He said it had never happened before that ANC leaders would be kicked out of the race ahead of the elective conference.
“His strength is that he is able to mobilise secretly and then he lets other people fight his battle, without him getting his hands dirty,” said Mngomezulu.
While some powerful leaders in the ANC such as Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Zweli Mkhize and Lindiwe Sisulu and some opposition parties are calling for his impeachment because of his failure to handle the Phala Phala saga, “he enjoys support from the economic sector, people who are investors and who are running this country’s economy”.
“This is to the extent that even the DA did not shy away from holding hands with him against Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
“They have gone soft on him and the advantage is that he is able to appeal to them,” Mngomezulu said.
Despite the fact that his scandal of concealing $580 000 banknotes in a sofa was revealed by former spy boss Arthur Fraser in June, the majority of ANC branches across the country seemed to have favoured him over Mkhize, who is also embroiled in the Digital Vibe scandal. The branches have rejected the likes of Dlamini Zuma, Sisulu and Deputy President David Mabuza’s presidential ambitions.
In an article published by the Financial Times (FT) on December 10, it was said that when Ramaphosa had finalised his decision to resign James Motlatsi, with whom he co-founded the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) stopped him saying, “You cannot be told by criminals to go,” Mngomezulu said.
The FT described Ramaphosa as a unionist and Constitution co-drafter who after becoming a businessman built an investment empire “on the opportunities for black investors from so-called empowerment financing”.
“Business has seen him as one of their own ever since,” wrote FT’s Joe Cummings.
Mngomezulu warned that South Africa should accept the possibility of Ramaphosa retaining the ANC position. He said if that happens, it would mean the moral character of the ANC would be questioned.
“It would mean that the ANC is shooting itself in the foot come 2024 because there are serious concerns, not just for ANC members but for the general public out there, that the president has not done enough to warranty the re-election.
But then you might have also seen that there are people who are supporting the president at all cost, even when the president was ready to resign (following the release of retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo’s panel report on the Phala Phala matter).
“People like Oscar Mabuyane are not hesitant to say that the Eastern Cape was the first province to convince Ramaphosa not to resign.
“This raises a question, why would you defend a president who has seen the reality that things are not going well, and he has not been able to deliver on the mandate given to him in 2017?” Mngomezulu asked.
Under Ramaphosa, Eskom has intensified the rolling load shedding, but another political analyst Mpumelelo Zikalala, said this might not be the main concern for the ANC because the governing party has lived with non-performance for the longest time.
“We have had load shedding for a decade now, and as we are going to the next ANC elective conference we are having load shedding, and they have never held anyone accountable.
“But the Phala Phala matter is going to test the internal controls of the ANC when it comes to reports to be discussed by the ANC’s highest decision-making body.
“Once the conference decides that ‘the president continues leading us, there is nothing against you’ even the ANC’s national executive cannot make the decision which is against it, and this would mean he has got lifetime security,” said Zikalala.
He said he could not see the 4 000 delegates discussing the Phala Phala matter, without causing chaos.
“We are going to the conference with the president who still has to answer to Parliament.
“You are electing the president who is facing impeachment,” said Zikalala.