Leading up to the ANC’s 55th National Elective Conference, many people in the media and on social media platforms suggested President Cyril Ramaphosa is the best of the worst concerning the ANC.
President Ramaphosa has been elected for a second term as ANC president, narrowly beating his running mate, former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
The conference’s outcome also included a second Deputy Secretary General, changing the ANC’s top positions from six to seven.
According to Dr Clyde Ramalaine, it is debatable whether this new leadership will usher in a new age of the ANC, one of change and correction. However, with the current top 7, the outcome might be similar.
“If you can tell me this renewal of the ANC, then I’m asking you, what is a renewal? There’s nothing being renewed in the ANC. What we have is a move to solidify a particular group of people to ensure they continue benefiting from the positions of power in running the African National Congress.”
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His First Five Years
President Ramaphosa was elected under the mandate to fix the problems of the ANC and the country.
He was meant to be a clean slate as he did not need money, want power or be part of the corruption which saw millions of taxpayer money going into the pockets of politicians.
However, under President Ramaphosa’s leadership, South Africans have endured numerous challenges. The state of multiple SOEs has gone from bad to worse, unemployment and crime are at an all-time high, and the ANC party has been more divided than ever.
“We cannot continue to exonerate President Ramaphosa as this angel of light that is hoping to be a Messiah, and that will bring change when we can see the evidence in front of us,” said Dr Ramalaine.
Former President Jacob Zuma also launched a private investigation into President Ramaphosa. On top of that is the Phala Phala scandal, which is still under investigation.
Dr Ramalaine said the Phala Phala scandal nearly led to the resignation of President Ramaphosa. The scandal has tarnished his reputation in the eyes of the South African public.
“He’s aware that [Phala Phala] has damaged the trust factor that ordinary people had in him concerning leading the country. The ordinary person still asks questions concerning whether we can trust this person. Did this happen, and what happened? To constantly tell people that it was his own money is not an excuse. If it was his money, it wouldn’t change the fact that rules were broken, and laws violated.”
Will history repeat itself?
The ANC has a terrible track record regarding former Presidents being elected for a second term. As former Presidents, Mbeki and Zuma both resigned prematurely.
Dr Ramalaine said as the public waited for President Ramaphosa to announce his resignation, in the 11th hour, he was persuaded not to by fellow members of the ANC.
They did not want him to be the first President post-Nelson Mandela to serve only one term. Moreover, they had their own agendas which meant if President Ramaphosa resigned they too would lose the benefits which comes with his Presidency.
“He wanted the second term to get through the gate. But he will not give [the presidency] up. He will be forced to give it up … The current President will not serve five years. When that moment happens, we’re going to see an interesting dynamic unfolding of how his current team is either restructured or redefined.”
