Ramaphosa speaks out

IT’S BEEN a busy weekend for leaders of the ruling party as they jockey for positions and power ahead of the ANC’s elective conference at the end of this year. Until now, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was the only leader to campaign openly for the top post in the party. She had done so even though the party had asked for the succession debate to be put on hold for now.

President Jacob Zuma is said to favour Dlamini Zuma to take over from him. However, this week the man who should be the front runner for this position, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, found his voice.

Ramaphosa was in the Eastern Cape addressing a memorial for slain SACP leader Chris Hani when he had a go at both Zuma and the Gupta family. A packed hall sang “We don’t want Zuma, we want Cyril” when Ramaphosa entered. He was joined by Mcebisi Jonas, the former deputy minister of finance who Zuma fired.

It now seems likely that another woman, Lindiwe Sisulu, could also contest the ANC presidency. She has the political pedigree and experience to match Dlamini Zuma, plus she’s a lot more dynamic. Sisulu has been approached to lead the ANC by a branch in the Eastern Cape because she has not been accused of corruption or been captured.

SISULU said she would respond when the ANC opened up the nomination process. However, in recent days she has become a lot more vocal about the dire state of the organisation.

Zuma himself was doing some lobbying, but it was more about building his personal brand than the ANC’s brand.

Zuma attended an ANC branch meeting at the University of Zululand over the weekend where supporters pledged their undying support for him. However, Zuma can no longer count on the support of the entire province.

About 500 SACP supporters who gathered at Curries Fountain to remember Hani booed Mxolisi Kaunda who represented the regional executive committee of the ANC in the province. However, another man Zuma recently fired, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, was cheered.

What is clear is that there is no certainty over just who will lead the ANC once Zuma steps down at the end of this year as party president.

It’s going to be a long campaign and, clearly, a bitterly fought one.