New dawn faces ugly test

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new dawn which, among other things, promises clean governance, is facing a test due to the conundrum created by the North West’s embattled ANC chairman, Supra Mahumapelo, who continues to embarrass the ANC, putting Ramaphosa’s presidency to the test.

The power he has been granted by the party’s national executive committee has increased, manifested by his bold intervention at Eskom, Jacob Zuma’s removal from office and the change in leadership at the Hawks.

However, Mahumapelo’s resignation as premier of North West and his decision to remain provincial chairman of the ANC shows that he intends to wield power to determine the direction of the North West government. The recent Free State ANC conference, which elected Sam Mashinini, a close ally of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, as chairman shows that provinces that rejected Ramaphosa at the party’s December conference are not changing allegiances.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the probability that Sihle Zikalala will retain his position as chairman unopposed is high, as his potential contender Mike Mabuyakhulu has lost momentum.

The way ANC provincial heavyweights and church leaders welcome Zuma demonstrates a serious attempt to undermine Ramaphosa’s leadership. It was not a coincidence that Zuma attended the KwaZulu-Natal government event of agriculture MEC Themba Mthembu.

Those who defended the status quo of gatekeeping, corruption and maladministration during Zuma’s tenure will succumb should they receive a hostile reception from the majority of the party’s members; or the virus will slowly erode what Ramaphosa has achieved so far.

Phaswana Rofhiwa Via e-mail