Ramaphosa advisers eye Sisulu as deputy
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign advisers are eyeing ANC national executive member and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu for the position of party deputy president, come the party’s December national elective conference, where a new top six may emerge.
Last week Independent Media revealed that former president Jacob Zuma threw his weight behind Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, but put a spanner in the works by instructing delegations from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal not to go with the province’s heavyweight, Zweli Mkhize.
Zuma went as far as telling the delegations, including the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association leadership, that he would make himself electable for the position of chairperson.
A leaked conversation of Ramaphosa’s
top runners has revealed that the president is turning on ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, who is vying for the party’s number two position.
Mashatile has been making clandestine overtures to gain the vote but has estranged his relationship with Ramaphosa.
According to highly placed sources Ramaphosa’s sudden warmth to Sisulu is anchored on the need to complete the 2017 mission, where she was paired with him to win the gender vote and a “credible looking top leadership”.
According to Ramaphosa’s hard-liners, Sisulu’s strong character may help him redeem himself from a deeply challenging first term that may see the ANC lose power in 2024.
A source said: “Generally we recognised that Paul (Mashatile) did not do well as a treasurer. It baffles us why anyone would want to promote him to the movement’s deputy. The deputy president of the ANC may very well become the country’s deputy. We must consider how the markets will respond to this.”
Ramaphosa’s team is also mounting pressure for Mashatile to step down as acting secretary-general – a position seen to give him an advantage ahead of the elective conference since the suspension of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.
According to sources, Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi called for Mashatile’s head, saying Mashatile occupying two positions was not catered for in the ANC constitution.
Kubayi has gained close proximity to Ramaphosa in recent months and is herself a deputy president hopeful.
Sisulu’s comments have openly angered Ramaphosa when in January she repeated her stance that the judiciary had become a tool for politicians and individuals with deep pockets.
Not backing down on the opinion piece she penned, Sisulu went on to say that while judges may have come from the working class, their consciousness had changed.
“This piece elucidated divergent views and caused a political tsunami, press conferences, articles and media appearances by professors, ex-judges, media personalities, politicians, ANC veterans, commentators, and men and women of letters.
“Even the president of the republic was involved. I met with the president on this matter, the outcome of which is now public knowledge.”
Independent Media has learnt that a private meeting between Ramaphosa and Sisulu would ensue yesterday.
Ramaphosa’s and Sisulu’s offices declined to comment on the meeting.