Ramaphosa may be asked to limit ambitions to No2 slot

A deal in terms of which Cyril Ramaphosa would retain his position as deputy president is being mooted by a faction in the ANC.

Supporters of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told the Sunday Times that they were trying to sell the proposal to Ramaphosa's backers to prevent the two from going head-to-head at the party's elective conference in the Northern Cape next year.

This is seen as an attempt to avoid a bruising battle that could further tear the ANC apart, with the ANC admitting that the leadership battle "would not be business as usual".

It comes in a week when the ANC's national executive committee reaffirmed the need to gain consensus on the party's leadership or risk falling into oblivion.

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After extensive consultation, structures of the ANC have accepted the call for a managed elective process with responsibility given to provincial leaders to unite ANC structures.

The ANC in North West was the first to explore the idea of keeping Ramaphosa as deputy to Dlamini-Zuma. The ANC in North West belongs to a faction of the party that remains supportive of Zuma. It has publicly campaigned for Dlamini-Zuma to take over.

The faction includes the ANC in the Free State and Mpumalanga, the ANC Youth League and the ANC Women's League.

The Sunday Times understands that after this weekend's NEC meeting, provinces will start engaging on the proposal to endorse Ramaphosa to remain in his position.

ANC North West chairman Supra Mahumapelo would not comment on the matter.

It is understood that Ramaphosa enjoys support from the majority of ANC supporters in Limpopo and some in Gauteng.

Gauteng ANC chairman Paul Mashatile was once quoted as saying that, as the party's deputy president, Ramaphosa should automatically succeed Zuma.

He also has the support of the majority of Cosatu-affiliated unions, including the union he once led as general secretary - the National Union of Mineworkers - and the South African Democratic Teachers Union.

The Sunday Times understands that Ramaphosa also enjoys support from the SACP.

The proposal for him to remain in his current position has already been rejected by some of Ramaphosa's staunchest supporters.

block_quotes_start The membership of the ANC appreciates that the next conference of the ANC will not take place under normalcy, politically block_quotes_end

Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the suggestion that Ramaphosa stay on as deputy president was factional.

"It is not based on a principle or any tradition in the ANC," he said.

Those who supported Ramaphosa were not opposed to female leadership - but were opposed to "surprise candidates coming in and taking over", said Maluleke.

"Why can't a female be the deputy and be groomed for the position [of president]?"

ANC provinces sympathetic to Ramaphosa have been waiting for direction from him as to whether or not he will be willing to stand as president.

The proposal to ask Ramaphosa to stay on as deputy of the party is subject to him not accepting an endorsement to be nominated to be the ANC's next president.

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Ramaphosa has been widely lauded for firmly toeing Zuma's line, often praising him in public.

But his recent comments to the effect that the government seems to be at war with itself - which was contradicted by Zuma in parliament - was seen as an attempt to launch his own campaign for the top job.

The Sunday Times understands that there is yet to be a discussion on what the next step would be should Ramaphosa reject a proposal to stay on as Dlamini-Zuma's deputy and opt to contest the ANC's presidency.

His spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, referred the Sunday Times to the ANC for comment.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party's 2017 elective conference would not be business as usual in the party.

"The membership of the ANC appreciates that the next conference of the ANC will not take place under normalcy, politically.

"We got to take into account the fact that we have to build a united ANC towards 2019," he said.

Kodwa said the party would not regain lost ground if it did not unite.

"There are things we have got to do differently," he said.