On Thursday, the ANC’s newly elected national executive committee announced it was in support of President Cyril Ramaphosa, with just short of two thirds of members coming from the slate his camp circulated at the ANC’s elective conference.
Those decidedly opposed to Ramaphosa — among the 80 additional members of the decision-making body announced on Wednesday — are Zweli Mkhize, his opponent for the leadership of the party, cooperative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, former North West secretary Supra Mahumapelo and tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
Dlamini Zuma and Mahumapelo last week voted in favour of adopting a report recommending that Ramahosa face an impeachment inquiry over the Phala Phala scandal. Mkhize and Sisulu did not cast their votes in what was seen as a move designed to avoid disciplinary action ahead of the conference.
Disgraced former ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini retained a seat on the NEC. She was initially barred from standing because of her perjury conviction but this was overturned on Monday evening, with the party’s new secretary-general Fikile Mbalula saying that because she was handed a fine and not a prison sentence, she was not disqualified in terms of the ANC constitution.
Former Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Andile Lungisa, who is appealing his two-year suspension from the party, was also elected into the NEC. So was former minister Malusi Gigaba and Faith Mothambi. This despite Gigaba recently openly voicing his opposition to Ramaphosa’s re-election as ANC president.
Former communications minister Muthambi — a staunch ally of former president Jacob Zuma — also secured a seat on the NEC, as did former higher education minister Mduduzi Manana.
Political analyst Mike Law said the president’s foes in the new NEC would likely be a nuisance but not a real threat as Ramaphosa negotiates his hard-won second term as party leader.
“They will make a noise but they are in a much smaller minority than they were for five years,” Law said.
“It is a victory for the president. Fifty-one of those NEC members were on his slate on Saturday. He has been a little bit generous with those he has included as renewables — there are some questionable characters — but certainly in terms of the political dynamics it is a victory for the president.”
Read with the composition of the top seven of the ANC — where only deputy president Paul Mashatile and deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane pose a hazard to him — Ramaphosa should be “very happy’ with the outcome of the conference, Law said.
Ramaphosa held on to the leadership with just 56.6% of votes cast, to Mkhize’s 43.4%.
The president’s key allies on the committee include minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele, justice minister Ronald Lamola, finance minister Enoch Godongwana, deputy state security minister Zizi Kodwa, environment minister Barbara Creecy, communications minister Khumbodzo Ntshavheni and Ramaphosa’s special advisor Bejani Chauke.
Derek Hanekom, a pillar of support for Ramaphosa during the previous NEC, has retired. Also gone is deputy president David Mabuza.
Announcing the outcome of the NEC vote, Mbalula said Ramaphosa should now spend some time considering how to reshuffle his cabinet in the new year.
“The president should be applying his mind about this cabinet. If he is not thinking about it, that would be reckless. He is and should be thinking about it … how to strengthen the executive,” he said. “He has the [rest of] December.”
Asked by the media if Ramaphosa planned to see out his second term, he said the leadership of the party wished for him to do so.
“We want him to finish his term,” he replied.
“This president has conducted himself very well and has added value to the ANC over [his] five years as president. The reception by society has been good. The president of the ANC, and all of us, wants to finish our terms.
“If you raise [concerns] because of Phala Phala it is another story altogether,” Mbalula added, referring to the ongoing investigation to explain the cash hidden in a sofa at the president’s game farm, which nearly prompted his resignation in the run-up to the conference.
“If anything arises, we will deal with it as and when it comes up … we will watch that space closely and then process it accordingly within the organisation,” Mbalula said.
