ANC can't alienate Ramaphosa, plus five highlights from 'Vrye Weekblad'

What are President Cyril Ramaphosa's chances of political survival? It is easy to think his political shelf life is under threat, but he is currently the only politician in SA who could break away from his party and still have a reasonable chance of winning a national election against the ANC.

There is no other national leader or president whose demise is discussed as thoroughly as our president's, so it's easy to assume his time might run out soon.

The postponed motion of no confidence brought by the ATM is not a reflection of his worth and is as unthinkable as a motion against Nelson Mandela or Thabo Mbeki. It is something we associate with political bandits like Jacob Zuma.

There are rumours that this motion of no confidence came via the ATM from Supra Mahumapelo and Ace Magashule. They are probably true.

Read more about this and more news and analysis in this week's issue of Vrye Weekblad.

This weekend, there is an NEC meeting and if one believed all the silly rumours and speculations on social media, then Ramaphosa is aiming to end Magashule's political career. This is wishful thinking. It is not Ramaphosa's political style, and the ANC does not have enough consensus to formulate anything drastic.

It would be political suicide for the ANC to alienate Ramaphosa.

Thanks to him, the party managed to increase its support in the 2019 elections after the 2016 fiasco.

That opposition parties are too hopeless to offer a political alternative to South Africans does not mean the ANC can allow itself to implode.

A weakened ANC is not good for the country and without Ramaphosa, Mandela's political home will be in ruins.

Must-read articles in this week's Vrye Weekblad

>> Browse the full December 4 edition

WHOSE JACKPOT IS IT? | The National Lottery has made many people in the country rich. They are not necessarily the jackpot winners, but rather whose who are supposed to manage the lottery.

FREE TO READ — THE DARKNESS IN YOUR BRAIN | There is a deep darkness that crawls over your brain when you get Alzheimer's. It chips away at your most precious possession: your mind.

SA'S OWN GIULIANI | Max du Preez looks at the spectacle of Dali Mpofu cross-examining Pravin Gordhan at the Zondo Commission and the ANC's many smallanyana skeletons.

WHO IS THE RUDEST? | Who are these people who are posting comments on political posts on social media? Are they ruder than the average person, and is online rudeness contagious? 

THRILLERS, TRAVELS & KARENS | This week, we cover seven books in the tenth edition of our not-just-books page.