Nasrec done and dusted

COVID-19: LET GOVERNMENT CARRY ON WITH BUSINESS WITHOUT FEAR

Extension of tobacco ban has nothing to do with ANC factions.

Is SA still in Nasrec – almost three years after that event happened? Surely not. But there are still rumblings akin to the pre-Nasrec debacle that preceded the ANC elective conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Johannesburg in 2017. The conference saw Cyril Ramaphosa emerging as the new party leader after narrowly edging his then challenger, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Almost two years later, in 2019, general elections were held and Ramaphosa became president. This followed a short stint as interim or caretaker president to finish the remaining 15 months of Zuma’s last term.

Zuma finally reluctantly resigned after being nudged out – thanks to Ramaphosa’s famous negotiating tactics as he succeeded to talk him out of the hot seat.

He appointed his Cabinet as per the president’s prerogative to do so. He immediately extended an olive branch to Dlamini-Zuma by appointing her Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Ramaphosa wanted to make true his promise to bring unity within the party.

Besides, she was by no means his enemy or opponent in the true sense of the word. She ran a clean campaign – that only her campaign managers tried, but failed, to antagonise her against Ramaphosa.

She was not interested in a dirty fight, something some attributed to her being a disciplined cadre, characteristic of those who worked under Oliver Tambo in exile.

The coronavirus pandemic that has been ravaging the world, forced the country to impose a lockdown and then extended it by a further two weeks, to control the spread of virus. On 1 May, Ramaphosa relaxed some of the restrictions under Level 4 to allow some economic activity.

The rights of citizens have been limited, rightfully so, in order to slow down the rate of the spread of this contagious and deadly virus. The Ramaphosa administration had been working round the clock to contain the scourge. He was personally showered with national and international accolades, including an award for being Africa’s best leader, for the manner he handled the situation.

In his announcement on the easing of some restrictions, Ramaphosa said some activities may take place, including the sale of tobacco and tobacco products.

A few days later, when detailing the relaxing of some activities, Dlamini-Zuma announced that tobacco products would remain banned and no tobacco would be sold on Level 4 of the lockdown.

She opened a can of worms. A negative reaction from many quarters – particularly the cigarette industry, ensued, but she stuck to her guns.

Her ardent followers before the Nasrec conference viewed her announcement as victory over

Ramaphosa, whom they believed had been won over by the tobacco barons for making the initial announcement. What an insanity?

Those forgot that there is a National Command Council (NCC), chaired by the president, which discusses and decides on any action regarding Covid-19. It’s not an individual decision.

Dlamini-Zuma may have been one of the people who reviewed Ramaphosa’s announcement in the NCC and deliberated and concluded that with other members and him that tobacco sales must remain banned. It, therefore, should take no rocket science to know that this had nothing to do with ANC factions.

People must be reminded that Dlamini-Zuma, a medical doctor by profession, is an erstwhile minister of health and she successfully banned all tobacco advertising to save lives. Her fight with the tobacco lobby and industry come a long way – many years – before the current ANC power bickering.

Therefore, those who are still at Nasrec must come to their senses. Let the government carry on with its business without fear.

Nkonji ka Nkonji is a political scientist

Cyril wanted to make true promise to unite ANC