In Thin Ace: Ramaphosa blinks before staggered showdown with Magashule

ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule with President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Cape Town Parliament.

In an expected showdown ahead of this weekend’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule, the odds stack in favor of the latter as members of the party claimed that the president already lost the first round.

Party leaders said Ramaphosa had been caught on the back foot, as the legal advice the party sought on the matter of party leaders accused of wrongdoing has presented another hurdle for the so-called anti-corruption faction.

In an interview with ANC President Gwede Mantashe, the Sunday Times reported that the advice of leading lawyers was that standing aside would be “a voluntary act” and forcing anyone to do so would be tantamount to suspending them.