On the Back Foot

Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe and Zweli Mkhize ensuring that he is not ousted.

As one NWC member opined, had they allowed him to be ousted because of the reshuffle, nothing would have stood in the way of those who want to see them removed as premiers in their own provinces.

Although Zuma supporters had gone to the meeting with the aim of humiliating Ramaphosa, Mkhize and Mantashe by forcing them to publicly apologise, they ended up conceding to a compromise position: the trio acknowledged “the mistake” without actually issuing public apologies.

It was a telling moment at the subsequent press conference