Ramaphosa 'not panicking' amid wide resignation speculation

President Cyril Ramaphosa is not going to make a "hasty" decision of resigning after the  section 89 panel report finding that he has a case to answer to on Phala Phala. 

This is according to presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

LISTEN | Phala phala report and its significance

“It’s not about whether he is panicking, that I can assure you. It’s not about the fact that he lacks confidence in his own caucus.

“It’s about appropriately processing the report, getting the benefit of different views which are being expressed in the interest of the country and about being comfortable that when he embarks on a course of action and communicates that cause of action, he would have considered all factors that need to be considered on the matter," he said.

Speaking from Tuynhuys in Cape Town on Thursday night, Magwenya told the nation that Ramaphosa's scheduled address to the nation had been postponed because the president was still consulting on the matter.

Asked whether Ramaphosa was going to resign or fight politically, Magwenya said: “I will desist from engaging on any of those options because I may risk sounding like this is the option he is gravitating towards.

“Except to say, all options are on the table, but what is important is not so much the merit or the demerits of a particular option. What is important is choosing a path or a particular route that is in the interest of the country with respect to the stability of government and the country.”

This, said Magwenya, is what will guide Ramaphosa in thinking through all of the options available to him.

Asked what Ramaphosa made of the calls  to step aside, Magwenya said, “I can’t talk to a specific option because that would be misleading, and it will create the wrong impression that he is looking at a specific option.”

Magwenya said Ramaphosa was looking at a number of options and in the process, consulting with a number of role players.

“What is important for everybody to appreciate here is that it’s not about which option is best for him. It’s about what cause of action does he take [that] is in the best interest of the country right now, and that cannot be a process that is conducted in haste and a decision he can make based on emotions.”

Magwenya said this was a decision that Ramaphosa needed to “carefully consider”.

"If the president has the option and latitude of consulting and get the benefit of counsel and advice from his colleagues in the ANC and alliance, then he must be allowed to get that benefit."

He added that he cannot speculate on whether the cancelled National Council of Provinces oral answer sitting that was scheduled to take place on Thursday would still take place.

“It will depend on the nature of those commitments.”

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.