Succession slates now part of ANC culture
From Page 9
This was a coup d' etat at its best because the minister in the Presidency Advocate Jeff Radebe, is the one who articulates government’s official policy positions.
Being usurped of this responsibility on such a complex matter indicates the problem in South Africa's top leadership.
Radebe came out spitting fire and distancing the cabinet from statements the minister made.
He made it clear that the statement was just a personal expression and should be noted as such.
The Presidency followed suit, distancing itself from the statement.
One is tempted to pose a few questions. What compelled the Minister of Mineral Resources and Mines to misrepresent the government? What motivated him to risk his own personal reputation by doing this? What did he want to achieve and on whose behalf?
A rational person should be concerned.
In a political environment characterised by handler and proxy relationships, there is no place for rational and lateral thinking.
In Parliament Jacob Zuma made a statement that there was no bad blood between the presidency and the national treasury.
This could be interpreted as a reaction to Ramaphosa’s internal war statement, or as an attempt by the president to water down the gravity of that statement.
These conflicting statements show the intensity of the schisms within the ruling party. Interestingly, what compelled Ramaphosa to make such a controversial statement being part of the same collective entrusted with the responsibility of uniting a diverse and complex nation?
What message did his statement send out to prospective investors and current investors?
It could be interpreted as a tacit vote of no confidence in the government he’s presiding over.
His statement has far-reaching implications in that it creates an impression that the centre – of which he is a part – can no longer hold. As part of that collective, he may not exonerate himself.
What complicates the situation further is his alignment to the succession political slate opposed to that supported by his current political boss.
Leadership succession slates in the ruling party are here to stay. They’re now part and parcel of the culture of the ANC.
This phenomenon shot to fame here in the Eastern Cape and was popular in the build- up to the ANC elective conference in Mafikeng.
The Mandelas and Sisulus expressed their dissatisfaction at slates politics, which has contributed to the dwindling of an ANC support base.
The phenomenon does not take into account leadership qualities and the competencies of an individual. It’s fundamentally underpinned by populism, demagogue and manipulation in order to get close proximity to state resources.
From the look of things, rifts iin the ANC have migrated to government. The governing party has on numerous occasions conceded that it’s infected with factional battles that have turned comrades into arch enemies.
With no decisive intervention on the part of leadership to quell factionalism, retaliation has become the order of the day.
The reason leadership has failed to intervene could be that every level of the movement has been factionalised, making the task difficult. • Christian Mbekela is a strategic work consultant specialising in HR, EE and risk management, a former Sayco NEC member and he was part of the team that re-established the ANC Youth League. He is
currently doing his PhD in the Sociology Department at
Rhodes University.