How provincial leaders convinced Ramaphosa to stay put

President Cyril Ramaphosa put off his planned address to the nation during which he was expected to step down after he was persuaded not to do so by several ANC provincial leaders and cabinet ministers.

Ramaphosa had prepared a speech by late afternoon on Thursday, ready to be delivered to the nation by 8pm, during which he was expected to announce he would withdraw from the ANC leadership race and prepare to hand over the running of the country to whoever is elected at the ANC elective conference in two weeks' time.

An independent panel headed by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo found Ramaphosa may have committed a serious violation of the law and serious misconduct in terms of the constitution.

LISTEN | Phala phala report and its significance

The panel’s report may result in impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa pending a debate in the National Assembly on the report next Tuesday.

TimesLIVE has learnt that after several engagements he had with trusted ministers such as Mondli Gungubele on his decision to quit, several provincial leaders were roped in.

Those familiar with the discussions said it was only at that point that Ramaphosa started reconsidering his position.

Reliable insiders indicated Ramaphosa was convinced to stay and fight the Phala Phala allegations after interventions by provincial leaders including ANC Eastern Cape chairperson Oscar Mabuyane, his Northern Cape counterpart Zamani Saul and national chairperson Gwede Mantashe.

This was done over several lengthy phone calls and virtual meetings as Ramaphosa was at his Cape Town home while they were in their respective provinces.

They are said to have told him this is a fight he can win and they would make sure he emerged from today’s ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting unscathed.

Ramaphosa is due to face his ANC opponents such as Tony Yengeni, Bathabile Dlamini, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who have publicly called for him to step aside over the Phala Phala saga.

“He lives to fight another day thanks to the provincial leaders including Oscar and Zamani who intervened after the ministers failed,” said one of the insiders loyal to Ramaphosa.

“It was the provincial leaders who saved the day. Oscar, Zamani and them, and obviously Gwede as well, but those who actually got us through are the provincial leaders.

“They had to call them and say to them, but come on you guys have to step up because the ministers are not getting through and they needed to send the provinces in.”

Though Ramaphosa agreed to put on hold his public address, he is said to have told his supporters his final decision will hinge on the outcomes and discussions at today’s NEC meeting.

Sources also said Ramaphosa told them he no longer had “an appetite” for the perpetual factional fights, that all of this was affecting his family and some in the ANC did not appreciate what he was doing for the party and the country.

Those who put up a spirited fight told him the Phala Phala report was weak, laced with hearsay and it could be successfully challenged in court.

They also assured him they would argue in the NEC that those calling on him to step down based on the report should also ask those affected by other reports, such as those from the Zondo commission and the party integrity commission, to look at their own positions..

The ANC step-aside rule only states that members should step aside if they face criminal prosecution.

“We don’t have a problem with them saying the fellow must go based on this report, but then everyone else must go based on their reports if we want to be consistent,” another insider said.

“Both the reports are not conclusive, both of them say they have cases to answer, so everyone must go. There’s also Zweli [Mkhize] who has a whole SIU finding against him. Then Gwede [Mantashe], Nomvula [Mokonyane], all of them must also go.”

Another Ramaphosa ally said he had given “different options he is considering” and he could “land” anywhere.

“It’s still going to be a function of engagements. So I honestly don’t know, because each option has its pros and cons,” he said.

TimesLIVE

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