MANY SOUTH AFRICANS BELIEVE CYRIL RAMAPHOSA IS THE RIGHT LEADER TO RESTORE THE FAITH OF THE PEOPLE
By Subry Govender
Many South Africans believe that ANC Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, will be the best leader who should be elected as the ruling ANC’s new president to succeed the much compromised Jacob Zuma, who has been embroiled in fraud and corruption allegations ever since he gained the presidency ten years ago.
This is the impression I gained when I spoke to a number of people on the eve of the ANC’s 54th national elective conference scheduled for the NASREC conference centre in Johannesburg from December 16 to 20.
Ramaphosa, a former trade unionist who has played a major role in South Africa’s transition from apartheid oppression to a non-racial democracy in 1994, is the main contender along with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the ex-wife of Jacob Zuma and a former Cabinet Minister. She has also served as the Chairperson of the African Union for five years until early 2017.
(Mr Sipho Tabethe with a friend, Duduzu Ndlovu)
Mr Sipho Tabethe, a young man who wants to become an entrepreneur, told me in an interview that Ramaphosa fully understood that the right conditions must be created for the economy to grow in order to tackle the serious challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality plaguing the country at the moment.
“I think for me,” he said, “the person with a very proven track record is Cyril. He started his business from nothing to become a highly-successful entrepreneur. So in terms of going into business and creating jobs, unity and confidence, I think Cyril will be a much better candidate to lead the country going forward.”
(BONGANI ZULU)
Another young man who also wants Ramaphosa to be elected the next president of the ANC and the country is Bonango Zulu, who is studying to become a lawyer.
“I think it’s Cyril Ramaphosa. Mr Ramaphosa has been in politics for a long time ago. He can attract businessmen from around the world because he is also a businessman. In 2019 I will only vote for the ANC if Mr Ramaphosa gets elected now. If he doesn’t get elected, then I won’t vote for the ANC.
“I don’t trust Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma because of the relationship she has with Jacob Zuma. I think somehow Zuma has influence over her.”
(EMMANUEL NDLOVU)
Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu, who wants to enter the accounting field, is yet another young man who is also of the view that Ramaphosa could change the current negative situation prevailing in the social, economic and political areas.
“I think Cyril Ramaphosa is right for the position at the moment,” he said.
“I don’t think Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is fit for the position because she wants to save Zuma from being charged with corruption. She will not be able to tackle the unemployment situation. Mr Ramaphosa, on the other hand, is a businessman and I think he will be able to take positive measures to overcome the unemployment situation in South Africa. I will vote for him. I would like to see him as the next president of South Africa.”
(DUDUZU NDLOVU)
Some of the people I spoke to also want Dlamini-Zuma.
Mr Duduzu Ndlovu, who wants to enter the Transport and logistics field as a businessman, is one of the people who preferred Dlamini-Zuma.
“Personally I would like to see Nkosazana Dlaimini Zuma to be the president. She’s been a very good leader. I think she can do a better job. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is the right candidate for me at the moment,” he said.
(CEBO NGCOBO)
At the same time, however, a number of people said they did not identify with Ramaphosa or Dlamini-Zuma because they considered politicians “who are only interested in furthering their own nests”.
Mr Cebo Ngcobo, a young activist, said he had no confidence in the ANC to overcome the high rate of poverty, unemployment and inequality faced by a growing number of people. He believes the ANC will lose the elections in 2019 because of the rampant corruption and inefficiency affecting the ANC.
“In 2019 the ANC will not be part of the Government as a majority. It is showing that it is dominated by people who are voting for themselves. I have no faith either in Dlamini-Zuma or Cyril Ramaphosa. “Nkosazna Dlamini-Zuma has failed even at the AU, while Cyril Ramaphosa is a friend of the white monopoly capitalists who are eating from the poor. I don’t have any confidence in them.”
(SIZWE DLAMINI)
Another young man who held a similar view is Sizwe Dlamini, who is looking forward to radical changes in the country 23 years into South Africa’s democracy.
“I would say that the person who has numbers to emerge from the conference as president is Cyril Ramaphosa, but I don’t support either of them. I believe they are there to attain their own benefits. They are going to extend their own agendas at the expense of the people.
“I don’t have any confidence in those two people. I also have no confidence in the current crop of leadership that the ANC has. Come 2019 I don’t see the ANC emerging as a majority party. The best thing is going to happen is that we are going to see a coalition government. And we are going to see a person emerging from outside the ANC.”
While the ordinary person in South Africa held divergent views about the leadership of the current ruling party and the country in 2019, Mr Ramaphosa has told ANC members over the past few days that he wants to be elected President of the ANC and the country because he is concerned about all the socio-economic problems that millions of people face in the country. He wants to introduce policies that will promote the business sector so that the economy will grow and unemployment, poverty and inequality will be tackled.
At the same time he wants all those who had been involved in corruption to be brought to book. He did not mention the name of President Jacob Zuma but it’s obvious that he was referring particularly to Zuma who has become ingrained in corrupt activities with many business people – especially the Gupta business family.
On Monday (Dec 11) the head of the National Prosecution Authority, Shaun Abrahams, announced that he had extended Zuma’s deadline to January 31 2018 to submit documentation as to why Zuma should not be charged with corruption. Zuma was to have responded by November 30 but he missed the deadline. Abraham’s action had come as an ironical development as Zuma only a few days earlier had appealed the Pretoria High Court’s decision for Abrahams to be suspended as head of the NPA.
Ramaphosa has called on South Africans not to keep quiet about the corruption that has become ingrained in South African society.
“We see corruption happening and we keep quiet. Sometimes we see people stealing money and we keep quiet and now comrades we are saying no more silence, now we must talk about all these things that are eating our movement. Now we must speak out because the longer we keep quiet the more this worm is going to eat the African National Congress. The more this worm will finish the African National Congress.”
He said he wants to ensure that as President he would fulfil the needs of the people for a better life for all.
“Our task is to make sure that the ANC fulfils the task it was founded for. And that task is to transform society and to transform our country.”
For her part, Ramaphosa’s main rival, Dlamini-Zuma, has also been on the road to garner last minute support from ANC members.
In one of her last minute campaign speeches, she said if she won the ANC presidential election, she would interact with all role players – mainly business – to tackle the serious challenges facing the country. She said it’s not about who emerged victorious but how the ANC and the country acted on the challenges.
“The crisis in this country is not about who wins. The crisis in this country is the majority of the people who are poor; people who are going hungry; kids who can’t afford education; the growing army of unemployed young people; growing inequality; growing violence – especially very violent crime against women, against children; so this is the crisis that one must look at. The issue of people not being part of the mainstream economy, the majority of people being landless, that’s the crisis facing the country. It’s not about who wins the election.”
Dlamini-Zuma said she would also tackle the issue of land restoration to the African people. She would not embark on programmes that would lead to a situation where there’s more crises and lawlessness.
“We will engage, we will find a legal way, a way that will not create another crisis but a way that will be a solution to the landlessness of many people.”
Will she win?
“For now I can’t say I will defeat but all I am saying is that the campaign is going well, it’s looking good.”
From all accounts it seems that the battle for the crown will be a hard-fought affair and both Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma will continue with their campaign strategies even at the conference until the elections are held.
It’s hoped that the ANC delegates will make the right choice for the presidency of the party by selecting the leader who will be able to restore the confidence of all South Africans. As stated earlier, many people say Ramaphosa will be the leader who will be able to live up to the values and principles of transforming the country in the interests of all South Africans – and not just a few elites who want to continue to loot and plunder the wealth of the country. –
ends subrygovender@gmail.com
While the ordinary person in South Africa held divergent views about the leadership of the current ruling party and the country in 2019, Mr Ramaphosa has told ANC members over the past few days that he wants to be elected President of the ANC and the country because he is concerned about all the socio-economic problems that millions of people face in the country. He wants to introduce policies that will promote the business sector so that the economy will grow and unemployment, poverty and inequality will be tackled.
At the same time he wants all those who had been involved in corruption to be brought to book. He did not mention the name of President Jacob Zuma but it’s obvious that he was referring particularly to Zuma who has become ingrained in corrupt activities with many business people – especially the Gupta business family.
On Monday (Dec 11) the head of the National Prosecution Authority, Shaun Abrahams, announced that he had extended Zuma’s deadline to January 31 2018 to submit documentation as to why Zuma should not be charged with corruption. Zuma was to have responded by November 30 but he missed the deadline. Abraham’s action had come as an ironical development as Zuma only a few days earlier had appealed the Pretoria High Court’s decision for Abrahams to be suspended as head of the NPA.
Ramaphosa has called on South Africans not to keep quiet about the corruption that has become ingrained in South African society.
“We see corruption happening and we keep quiet. Sometimes we see people stealing money and we keep quiet and now comrades we are saying no more silence, now we must talk about all these things that are eating our movement. Now we must speak out because the longer we keep quiet the more this worm is going to eat the African National Congress. The more this worm will finish the African National Congress.”
He said he wants to ensure that as President he would fulfil the needs of the people for a better life for all.
“Our task is to make sure that the ANC fulfils the task it was founded for. And that task is to transform society and to transform our country.”
For her part, Ramaphosa’s main rival, Dlamini-Zuma, has also been on the road to garner last minute support from ANC members.
In one of her last minute campaign speeches, she said if she won the ANC presidential election, she would interact with all role players – mainly business – to tackle the serious challenges facing the country. She said it’s not about who emerged victorious but how the ANC and the country acted on the challenges.
“The crisis in this country is not about who wins. The crisis in this country is the majority of the people who are poor; people who are going hungry; kids who can’t afford education; the growing army of unemployed young people; growing inequality; growing violence – especially very violent crime against women, against children; so this is the crisis that one must look at. The issue of people not being part of the mainstream economy, the majority of people being landless, that’s the crisis facing the country. It’s not about who wins the election.”
Dlamini-Zuma said she would also tackle the issue of land restoration to the African people. She would not embark on programmes that would lead to a situation where there’s more crises and lawlessness.
“We will engage, we will find a legal way, a way that will not create another crisis but a way that will be a solution to the landlessness of many people.”
Will she win?
“For now I can’t say I will defeat but all I am saying is that the campaign is going well, it’s looking good.”
From all accounts it seems that the battle for the crown will be a hard-fought affair and both Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma will continue with their campaign strategies even at the conference until the elections are held.
It’s hoped that the ANC delegates will make the right choice for the presidency of the party by selecting the leader who will be able to restore the confidence of all South Africans. As stated earlier, many people say Ramaphosa will be the leader who will be able to live up to the values and principles of transforming the country in the interests of all South Africans – and not just a few elites who want to continue to loot and plunder the wealth of the country. – ends subrygovender@gmail.com
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