The newly elected Head of South Africa’s ruling Africa National Congress, ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, has mounted the saddle. He has called for unity and an end to vested interests in politics after the tough leadership contest. Mr. Ramaphosa told about 5,000 members of his ANC outside Johannesburg for the much-delayed climax of a five-day conference that ordinary South Africans wanted the party’s leadership to be united.
Although President Jacob Zuma has stepped down as head of the party, he can legally remain as president until 2019 when his term will end. Mr. Ramaphosa stated that “Speculation was rife that the 54th conference of the ANC would either not take place or collapse on the very first day,” in reference to the bitter legal battles over which members would be permitted to vote for the new leader. The issue threatened to overshadow the gathering.
Basking in euphoria, the new ANC leader enthused, “We are still here standing 106 years later – we are alive, we are leading and we are here to stay.”
Mr. Ramaphosa narrowly won the leadership vote last week after a grueling race that exposed rifts within the one-time liberation organisation between his camp and that of his rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. “I wish to pay tribute to Comrade Dlamini-Zuma, who contested the position of President, for the manner in which she demonstrated commitment to our movement,” Mr. Ramaphosa said.
Dlamini-Zuma is a former African Union Commission chair and is the ex-wife of Zuma which led to accusations that her victory would have meant a continuation of his deeply divisive tenure. Zuma’s reign has been plagued by corruption scandals, a slowing economy and anger at the almost impregnable ANC. In what appeared like jeers, Mr. Ramaphosa called out, “President Zuma – one has been accustomed to you closing conferences of the ANC and I feel like I’m walking in your shoes tonight,” said Ramaphosa. “One has to get used to this.”
In a restrained maiden speech that avoided score settling, Ramaphosa vowed to crack down on corruption, boost the economy and heal the divided party. “We must also act fearlessly against alleged corruption and abuse of office within our ranks,” he said without making any specific allegations.
The ANC, which has ruled since 1994 when Nelson Mandela won the first multi-racial vote, could struggle to retain its grip on power in the 2019 election due to falling public support. He gave a tepid endorsement of the conference’s resolution to press ahead with a controversial policy of land redistribution without compensation in favour of landless and poor South Africans. “This conference has resolved that expropriation of land without compensation should be amongst the mechanisms available to government to give effect to land reform and re-distribution. It has also been resolved that we ensure we do not undermine the agricultural production or the economy, that is what is important.” The pronouncements were fully applauded.
