ANC deals with its own

IT OFTEN seems that President Jacob Zuma is indecisive – that he takes far too long to act, even on seemingly small matters. This is where his opponents have regularly misjudged him.

And more often than not, this tendency to underestimate him has cost them dearly.

While it is true that Zuma takes what often seems an inordinately long time to make up his mind about anything, it is because he acts only when he knows he has already won a particular political battle or argument.

Events over the past week are proof of this.

When Zuma axed Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebesi Jonas, the barrage of criticism from in and out of the ANC seemed to suggest that he had taken one chance too many.

And when party heavyweights Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe and Zweli Mkhize entered the fray, Zuma seemed to be as good as gone – a dead man walking.

Then, when the party’s Integrity Commission of respected veterans, the SACP and Cosatu also weighed in, and when rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded South Africa to junk status, the only question that remained of his demise was: “When”?

BUT, as has happened so often in the past, opponents of the president have again jumped the gun. Here are some things to consider – and remember – about the ANC.

No party is as capable of whipping errant members into shape as quickly and efficiently as it is.

Mantashe the ANC’s secretary-general and also one of Zuma’s critics, was forced to read out a National Working Committee statement stressing the party’s commitment to unity.

According to a leaked note of a committee meeting, Mantashe, as well as Ramaphosa and Mkhize, had to apologise for their “ill-discipline”.

The letter from the Integrity Commission was withdrawn because it was only a draft, and the alliance partners, the SACP and Cosatu were slated for going into the public domain to criticise the president.

Those believing a motion of no confidence will remove the president had better think again.

It’s time for them to accept something that has long been obvious: The ANC deals with its own, in its own way and in its own time.