Cyril Ramaphosa under attack as allies turn back on president

President Cyril Ramaphosa is under pressure to go from his opponents – and now even his supposedly friendly comrades have come forward to demand he must pack his bags.

Will his long silence over his Phala Phala farm episode save him from his downfall, with the current barrage of criticism levelled against him?

This is the question that lingers as the beleaguered president’s woes multiply.

The Marikana judgment was the latest to confront him. The High Court in Johannesburg stopped short of putting the blame on him for the massacre in which 45 people were killed in police action in August 2012.

Instead, the court said he “participated in, masterminded and championed the toxic collusion” between mining company Lonmin, of which he was a director, and the South African Police Service, which culminated in the shootings.

His e-mail calling for “concomitant action” against those responsible for violence seemed to be the trigger and a bone of contention, following the incident.

The matter came to court after 329 mineworkers, who were injured and arrested by the police on 20 October, 2015, instituted action against Ramaphosa, Sibanye-Stillwater (which bought the mine from Lonmin) and the SA government, under Vayeke Sivuka and 328 others.

The court also found the victims were maliciously prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority.

The ruling increased Ramaphosa’s woes. He was already under pressure to step down over the Phala Phala farm saga involving the alleged theft of a claimed $4 million, which was not reported to the police.

Ongoing Eskom load shedding, regular fuel hikes and high inflation that culminated in the escalation of food prices fast-tracked his crunch moment.

In light of inflation and the persistent economic downturn, Ramaphosa is expected to answer for his and the ANC’s sins. His opponents within the ruling party have increased the tempo to demand his resignation as ANC and the country’s president.

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Even those considered friendly to him, such as ANC veteran Mavuso Msimang, are calling for his head.

Others say not only must Ramaphosa go, but the entire ANC, as it is responsible for the mess the country is in.

Msimang said Ramaphosa should step down until the investigation into the burglary was concluded. The outspoken former uMkhonto we Sizwe commander, who had no links to Ramaphosa’s obvious opponents in the radical economic transformation faction, said the time had come for the president to go.

Msimang has impeccable struggle and civil service credentials. He served as director-general of home affairs, headed SANParks and last year was appointed by Ramaphosa to lead a team tasked to undertake a comprehensive review of the work visa system. The review explored the possibility of new visa categories, which would enable economic growth, such as a start-up visa and a remote working visa.

But that did not stop Msimang from criticising Ramaphosa’s government and his failures, including his laxity in decision-making and in taking action.

But political analyst Prof Lesiba Teffo said it was unfair to call for Ramaphosa alone to step down when the real elephant in the room was the ANC.

“I wouldn’t agree with the view that says him alone must go, but I would embrace the view that the whole ANC must go. From Mandela to Thabo Mbeki, the ANC had done a bit better, but after them it was a downward spiral,” he said.

Beneficiaries of the ANC tenders system, cadre deployment and black economic empowerment policy had told Teffo they’d had enough of the ruling party.

“The beneficiaries of corruption, nepotism and cadre deployment are saying enough is enough, we are left with nothing. I am heartened to hear some of the diehards of the ANC say the party must go. I say: let the ANC rest; it’s time out,” Teffo said.

“Even the ANC elders say this is not the ANC they know. According to them, the ANC is not the same any more,” he said.

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On a number of occasions, Teffo had called for the ANC to do away with cadre deployment, tender systems, to change the Electoral Act in favour of a constituency system and to manage migration.

“I have been campaigning but nobody has been listening. Amend the Electoral Act; it’s not a panacea, but a sine qua non; it is in our hands. If you don’t manage migration, this new generation will rise up one day,” Teffo said.

He questioned the silence of the South African Council of Churches, whose members led the anti-apartheid campaign in SA.

“Where is the prophetic voice, why are they quiet today when they were so vocal when Jacob Zuma was in power? We need that voice, the prophetic voice that rescued us from the grip of apartheid to save us from the ANC of today.

“This is not about Ramaphosa, but the ANC. It’s cheap to say Ramaphosa must go. Instead, let’s help the ANC to go and rest. After 10 years, they can regroup and come back,” Teffo said.

“The ANC was more obsessed with the party than the floundering country.

“I cry for you, land of my forebears; land of my birth.”

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