ANC leader’s tolerance signals new style
Asure sign of a shift in the political winds is the refrain by the ANC leadership under Cyril Ramaphosa to give President Jacob Zuma a “dignified” exit. The newly elected ANC president was adamant that Zuma would not be “humiliated”.
This is a far cry from the past decade of ANC rule, characterised by vindictiveness, recklessness and downright disrespect. Zuma dealt with his political opponents ruthlessly; humility and dignity were largely absent as he disposed of his enemies in a manner that was almost vulgar.
From Julius Malema’s youth league to Cosatu leaders who turned against him, Zuma’s ANC dealt with dissenting views without principle or decency. It intensified towards the latter half of his second term as the state-capture project was cranked up. The consequences of the destruction could take years to uncover, let alone repair.
Think back to the recall of Nhlanhla Nene in December 2015. Preceding that, a bogus spy report discrediting key figures in the Treasury was circulated in the government. Nene’s removal sent shock waves through the economy, but Zuma had the gall to make disparaging remarks about him and his Treasury predecessors.
The fight between Zuma and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and the capture of the South African Revenue Service saw new lows. Gordhan reentered the Treasury with his back to the wall, with the capturers still bent on snatching it. So began the onslaught on him, culminating in his charging and the subsequent dropping of those charges by chief prosecutor and Zuma lackey Shaun Abrahams.
Gordhan was hauled back from an international investor trip before being reshuffled by Zuma, who used yet another dodgy intelligence report to allege that Gordhan was plotting to overthrow him. He was replaced with Malusi Gigaba, who is also mired in the state-capture controversy.
The onslaught on former public protector Thuli Madonsela was unfounded and vile. She was attacked by ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte and dubbed a Central Intelligence Agency spy by the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association, a Zuma ally. The ANC Youth League even resorted to criticising her personal appearance.
While there is a large section of the party that feels the graciousness of Ramaphosa and the newly elected top six leadership of the ANC is unfounded due to Zuma and his faction’s conduct over the past decade, it augurs well for the sort of leader he will be for the party and the country. It is an early sign that the new ANC president will deal with political opponents with principle, that the decade of political intolerance and vindictiveness may well be over.
This approach will not allow Zuma to retreat to his default position: that of playing the victim.
But Ramaphosa & Co have a fine line to tread in giving Zuma his comeuppance without humiliating him or stripping him of his dignity; that may yet happen should he face the criminal charges he averted shortly before he became president in 2009.
Allowing Zuma to linger as head of a rogue administration would affect the ANC’s ability to run an election campaign arguing that the party is under new leadership bent on renewal. Ramaphosa’s core constituency in Cosatu, which is dominated by public-sector unions, called in 2017 for Zuma to be removed as state president. It was a call that reverberated loudly in the alliance, particularly after he was booed by workers on May Day 2017. How does Ramaphosa placate this constituency, which is also worried about the security of their retirement savings under Zuma and his appointment to the Treasury and were the first to support Ramaphosa?
Public sector unions are already in the midst of tough wage talks, a situation that will only be that much more difficult if the talks are held with the Zuma administration, which Cosatu unions have roundly rejected. The crisis at Eskom is another desperate situation that Zuma cannot be trusted to deal with. We are also facing the prospect of yet another ratings agency downgrade.
Insiders who are frustrated by the approach to removing Zuma warn that Ramaphosa could be the first postdemocratic ANC president to be forced to implement austerity measures dictated by the World Bank and IMF if he fails to axe Zuma and act quickly to turn around the situation at Eskom and other state-owned entities.
Ramaphosa’s approach of not humiliating Zuma appears to be an appeal to him to resign, but he might not, which could push the ANC into impeaching him. This would be a devastating end to an already tainted and lost legacy.
The new ANC president’s approach shows that he is a far greater character than his nemesis, but he is treading a fine line, testing the economy and patience of all those who want Zuma gone as soon as possible.
IT WAS A CALL THAT REVERBERATED LOUDLY IN THE ALLIANCE, PARTICULARLY AFTER HE WAS BOOED BY WORKERS ON MAY DAY 2017