Zille's view on a Motsepe-ANC leadership falls in line with the DA's big business stance, say analysts

Helen Zille may have inadvertently highlighted who they are willing to work with in a continued coalition with the ANC and who they are opposed to to head up Africa's oldest liberation movement.

This is according to political experts who have warned that people should be cautious in who the DA federal council chair, Helen Zille, has spotlighted, following her interview with Sunday World.

Zille said that the election of billionaire Patrice Motsepe to the position of ANC president would result in a smooth and non-disruptive transition of power.

While in a podcast interview with Sunday World, Zille hesitated to comment on the ANC’s internal processes, saying that whoever she touted would likely end up having the least likely chance of succeeding.

However, in an online article, Zille offered her perspective on what such a leadership change could mean for the country.

“I perceive that a transition from President Ramaphosa to President Motsepe would not be disruptive; it would be a smooth process,” Zille said.

“Well, we had a president from business, who is President Ramaphosa. From what I know, Patrice Motsepe is his brother-in-law, so they are very closely related, but it depends on whether that faction of the ANC can maintain their peace. Patrice Motsepe will be a seamless transition from what we have now and the future,” she said.

Zille was contacted for further insights into her remarks, but did not respond but she told the SABC that her comments regarding the ANC potential transition from Ramaphosa to his brother-in-law, are not an endorsement of Patrice Motsepe.

Political analyst, Professor Sipho Seepe, weighed in, stating that while Zille’s opinion matters -given that she is a formidable politician and the power behind the DA - there is a bigger motive at play behind her words.

“Her preferences are likely to be taken seriously by those ANC members who are pro ANC-DA coalition. This includes big business, which currently has a sway over both parties.

“Having said this, she is clear about how she regards the ANC. She has every intention to see the ANC weakened and on its deathbed. She is consistent that way. Whatever she says should be viewed through this lens.”

Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu from UKZN said that Zille and the DA do not trust the ANC.

“They only trust them, the ANC, so long as they are led by someone like Ramaphosa, or in this case, Motsepe, but other than those two, I don't think that the DA would be happy to work with the ANC, if you say it was led by someone like Mashatile, or someone like Mbalula, for example.

“I think they (the DA) are comfortable with people who are business-friendly. You know, who would be willing to work with the private sector and not move more to the left.”

Ndlovu added that South Africans need to come to terms with the fact that the country will now rely on coalitions going forward, “and I think the DA is concerned about who emerges as the next leader of the ANC because they believe, there has got to be someone who is going to move it more to the centre”.

However, political analyst Professor André Duvenhage said he agrees with Zille, when it comes to centralised parties developed from freedom movements, or a communist tradition, that a leadership transition can be very traumatic.

“If we look at Patrice Motsepe, we know that he's very close to Cyril Ramaphosa, and I believe they are probably more or less in the same political, economic framework and related value system,” Duvenhage said.

“I also think that Patrice Motsepe is a better candidate than the other candidates mentioned, plus the potential that may come from other areas within the party. Motsepe has the best chance of keeping the current Government of National Unity together.

“If it’s, for example, Paul Mashatile and maybe there's a big influence coming from people like Panyaza Lesufi and that ideological line of thinking, it's more likely that we may see a cooperation among parties like the ANC, the EFF and some of the other radical parties.

“So in that sense, I can agree with Helen Zille.”

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za