How loyalists saved Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “silent strategy” saw ANC branch delegates stick to their mandate to give him the go-ahead to act decisively, without having to look over his shoulder for political foes.

Even foreign diplomats believed he had become stronger now and expected him to win.

Ramaphosa’s inner circle

Five of the top seven ANC office-bearers were members of his inner circle – Ramaphosa, the national chair, secretary-general, treasurer-general and deputy secretaries.

In the run-up to ANC national elective conference and during the election process, Ramaphosa kept quiet, even as supporters of his opponent Zweli Mkhize and the radical economic transformation (RET) faction made noise at the venue, on social media and through disinformation campaigns.

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Senior PEC politicians from the North West, Limpopo and Gauteng abandoned the Ramaphosa ship at the last minute to throw in their lot with Mkhize, and claimed their province’s delegates would do the same.

However, in the voting, it became clear brand delegates would not stand for their mandates to support Ramaphosa being hijacked by PECs. Ramaphosa’s supporters silenced them and he triumphed with 2 476 votes over Mkhize’s 1 897.

The competition

Political analyst and professor David Monyae, director of the Centre for African-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said Ramaphosa was not obliged to keep Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu.

“He should not fear to get rid of his opponents, he has nothing to lose,” Monyae said.

A South African-based foreign diplomat who attended the conference but preferred to remain anonymous said: “Cyril Ramaphosa is stronger now than in 2017, despite the Phala Phala and the KwaZulu-Natal pressure.”

A buoyant Minister of Finance and head of the ANC economic transformation subcommittee Enoch Godongwana described Ramaphosa’s victory as a “major breakthrough” for the country’s economy and the ANC’s quest for gender equity.

Godongwana, a Ramaphosa loyalist, was referring to the election of three women – Nomvula Makonyane as the first deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa as second deputy secretary-general and Gwen Ramokgopa as treasurer-general into the Top Seven.

Macro-economist Miyelani Mkhabela, who is part of the ANC’s economic inner circle, said: “There will be economic resilience, the markets will respond positively on this election. With his new strength injection, the president will now have time to focus.”

ANC KZN Results

Monyae said the results were shocking in that KZN brought numbers but failed to turn those numbers into a meaningful victory.

“They had a poor strategy, were noisy and they were punished by provinces with smaller numbers but who were united,” Monyae said.

Ramaphosa had nothing to lose in his last term and therefore must act decisively, he said. The chances of a quick Cabinet reshuffle were high because the president had to work with people aligned with him.

“Ramaphosa will definitely try to reach out to those who lost but there is no doubt about this [bringing in allies].” – ericn@citizen.co.za