Cyril ‘legend’ a distortion
I’m always fascinated by stories that begin as rumours and end up as oft-repeated legends with lives of their own.
A good example of this is in your article on Cyril Ramaphosa ( Cover Story April 28May 4). You state as fact the legend that Ramaphosa “was Nelson Mandela’s chosen successor, but that ended in tears when African National Congress (ANC) veterans vetoed the global icon’s wish”.
I am not sure if Mandela ever publicly confirmed this legend or whether there is any truth to it. While it is possible that Mandela could have preferred to have Ramaphosa at the helm at some point for tactical reasons (we are told, because of his worries about the perception of Xhosa domination of the ANC) it is a fact that Thabo Mbeki had the full confidence of Mandela. To suggest that Mandela was not happy about the election of Mbeki (as can be inferred from your article) is a distortion.
On May 10 2004, in parliament, Mandela said: “No president or prime minister in the history of this country can claim to have done more for the people and the country than has been achieved by President Thabo Mbeki.”
I have no doubt that Mandela had differences of opinion with Mbeki over many issues and even on Mbeki’s leadership style at one point or another. To, however, suggest that Mandela thought Ramaphosa would make a better president than Mbeki and that this was a view that he consistently held is a deliberate distortion of facts.
Secondly, as far as I know, the ANC president doesn’t have any power to “choose a successor”. It is the general ANC membership that decides. The process to elect Mbeki as ANC president was a normal and transparent one. I would suggest it was an even freer and fairer process than the election of the leadership that took place in Polokwane and Bloemfontein in 2007 and 2012. It is well documented that the latter congresses were preceded by intimidation, expulsion of branches and members, insults and so on.
Lastly, given what we know today about Ramaphosa’s backbone — or lack thereof — would I be off the mark to speculate that Mandela would have differed with Ramaphosa’s silence and even endorsements of immoral positions in the face of the daily scandals that the ANC and the country are subjected to under Jacob Zuma? The Financial Mail apologises for printing the incorrect advertisement for the University of the Witwatersrand School of Accountancy on April 28 2016, which contained incorrect information relating to its academic programme.