RAMAPHOSA’S FUTURE AS PRESIDENT HANGS IN THE BALANCE
(BBC) One of the most senior leaders in the ANC – Gwede Mantashe, the party’s chairman – has just been on Newzroom Afrika, a local TV station.
He was asked about the future of President Cyril Ramaphosa, if the party ends up with around 42% of the vote.
“I don’t know,” Mr Mantashe replied.
He went on to say that parliament will decide – either it will elect him for a second term, or it will not.
Mr Mantashe is a close ally of Mr Ramaphosa, and serves in the outgoing government as Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy.
With more than 66% of results declared the ANC has 42% of the vote. The party had always polled above 50% in all elections since 1994.
The Democratic Alliance is second with 23%.The new party, MK, led by ex-President Jacob Zuma has done very well in his heartland of KwaZulu-Natal.
The distribution of seats in the 400-member National Assembly directly reflects the vote share.
In order to get a parliamentary majority it looks like the ANC will need to form some sort of coalition.
The party has never been in this position before and this vote heralds a new era in South African politics.
I wonder what Dr. M’membe’s take on this is. He is of the view that liberation movement parties like the ANC, SWAPO, Zanu-pf and Chama chamapinduzi(?) must rule forever.
Well it looks like the ANC is on its way out and about time too! The irony of it is that it has cannibalized itself with Zuma’s MK eating into the. ANC’s Zulu support.
The issue in South Africa is internal fragmentation… Splinter groups within ANC dissatisfied with some issues..apart from the EFF which is an ideological difference, more towards the south African Communist Party..For the MK party it’s more a personal issue for Zuma…and using the Tribal Zulu card. I interacted with Mukontwe we sizwe combatants, and lived with them . Chris Hani and colleagues…I doubt if they can find representation in Zuma’s MK party. But one thing clear is that Cyril Ramaphosa wasn’t main Stream in the South African Liberation struggle…And after the Liberation, he quickly moved into the oligarchs of South Africa. He is detached from South African Liberation aspirations. There are young people, ANC firebrands, who still hold the country’s aspirations…And the mentor Thabo Mbeki is there. The ship can be steadied and the ANC will come out of this Election stronger .