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As his allies closed ranks around him, an emboldened President Cyril Ramaphosa went on the attack against the “fighting” faction loyal to his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
In the wake of the critical meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) over the weekend, during which his opponents had daggers pointed at him, Ramaphosa emerged with his position at the top of the organization. solidified.
His message to everyone in the party, including those loyal to Zuma, was that no one, regardless of status, would escape appearing before the party’s integrity committee to answer for corruption allegations.
The president spoke boldly about the steps that will be taken to deal with corruption at all levels of the party.
He also highlighted the role of state institutions in dealing with the scourge.
Ramaphosa’s morale was boosted by the growing support he has received from his allies and individuals who wanted him to deal harshly with corruption involving ANC members.
His supporters in the South African Trade Union Congress (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) had the final say in the ongoing dispute between the Ace Magashule / Zuma camp and the Ramaphosa side.
Over the weekend, Cosatu urged Ramaphosa not to deal with thieves and criminals and started a #DownWithCorruption hashtag campaign, while SACP encouraged the president to be firm on corruption.
The latest to enter the fray were the former head of the South African National Defense Force, General Siphiwe Nyanda, and the former secretary general of the National Union of Mine Workers, Frans Baleni, who launched a two-front attack on the camp. of Magashule-Zuma and Zuma. Nyanda attacked the Zuma faction and Zuma, indicating that they were not qualified to point fingers at others.
The two leaders said that the conflict in the ANC that had spread into the public domain was distressing and that the party needed to continue its commitment to renewal and unity. They were reacting to what Ramaphosa himself called a “choreographed” attack on him.
This included calls from Zuma sponsor Tony Yengeni, convicted criminal Andile Lungisa, and Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina for Ramaphosa to resign.
His statements were accompanied by a brutal attack on Ramaphosa by Zuma for his letter saying that the ANC was corrupt.
Ramaphosa all but dismissed the letter in a report at a press conference Monday afternoon, saying he received many letters and did not respond to all of them.
Ramaphosa’s decision to appear before the ANC’s integrity committee was seen as a move to hold all those implicated in corruption to account for their actions as well.
Ramaphosa made it clear that he had drawn the line to end corruption and the NEC wanted everyone involved to be investigated. Those who refuse to comply would be suspended or subject to the ANC’s disciplinary code.
It became clear who he was referring to when he said that comrades and their families negotiating with the government would be examined and guidelines would be formulated.
The two sons of the ANC’s secretary general, Magashule, allegedly profited irregularly from tenders for Covid-19 personal protective equipment in the Free State.
Cosatu decided to support Ramaphosa’s candidacy for the ANC presidency at a highly contested national party conference held in Narec, south of Johannesburg, in December 2017. The federation expected Ramaphosa to do better than Zuma in creating decent jobs for the workers.
He led the formulation and implementation of an ambitious national minimum wage that was very well received by the union movement.
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