How Cyril outmanoeuvred his opponents

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has emerged stronger from the party’s national elective congress than when he entered, after thumping Zweli Mkhize by 579 votes to secure himself a second term.

Ramaphosa’s second term was on shaky ground after winning the ANC presidency by small margin (179) in 2017, where he was elected to serve with leaders who did not support his political vision for the ANC.

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But after a bruising electoral conference where former health minister Zweli Mkhize only amassed 1,897 votes, Ramaphosa has emerged stronger, as almost all the national officials he was elected along with are his allies.

Ramaphosa’s clean sweep came as a surprise after earlier indications were that his second term campaign had disintegrated, as Mkhize seemed to have put up a strong challenge ahead of the vote at the weekend.

It appeared Mkhize had managed to turn previously staunch Ramaphosa provinces to his side when Limpopo’s leaders, including its chairperson Stan Mathabatha and his deputy Florence Radzilani, opting to throw their weight behind Mkhize.

North West chairperson Nono Maloyi followed suit along with Gauteng provincial secretary Thembinkosi (TK) Nciza and Gauteng provincial executive committee member Lebogang Maile.

However, the results announced on Monday showed that while the provincial leaders may have turned on Ramaphosa, they failed dismally to convince branch delegates at the conference to ditch their president.

The provincial leaders’ plan to oust Ramaphosa shifted into higher gear upon their arrival at Nasrec, but was scuppered Ramaphosa’s lobbyists who opted to not engage the provincial leaders but court the lower structures such as branches and regions.

“The strength of the CR campaign is that it went beneath the province. We went to the regional leaders, that’s why they revolted. The provincial leaders did not know we were talking to their regions, and they thought they could topple us but they couldn’t,” said a Ramaphosa lobbyist.

Mmamoloko Kubayi, one of Ramaphosa’s staunch allies, said she was disappointed by the sudden U-turn the provincial leaders made at the conference.

“With the nominations, Gauteng branches had come out to say they support the president but to see leaders of the province saying they no longer support the president was quite shocking. As somebody who comes from Gauteng, I was disappointed, similarly with Limpopo,” said Kubayi.

“What it means is that we are where we are supposed to be where the power resides with the branches. The organisational constitution says the basic unit of the ANC is the branch, therefore the authority of us all as leaders comes from branches.”

Kubayi said the rejection of the provincial leaders that wanted to redirect branches was proof that the renewal process that Ramaphosa has been championing was well on track.

In Limpopo the day was saved by provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe, who in full view of the public contradicted Radzilani, who had attempted to give Limpopo delegates a new marching line by telling them there had been a decision to ditch Ramaphosa for Mkhize.

Madadzhe told delegates that Radzilani was lying as the provincial leadership was still rallying behind Ramaphosa, and so should the delegates when they reach the voting booths.

He told TimesLIVE that he had to clarify the incorrect statements made by Radzilani, as there had been no change of heart by the province.

“We are saying no there was no such decision. We can even demonstrate and show people our PEC Whatsapp groups,” he said.

Another Ramaphosa lobbyist said Madadzhe had taken the correct step by rebuffing Radzilani’s statements.

“Madadzhe is the provincial secretary, he is there to run the organisation, and there are protocols that must always be followed. There’s a provincial position. How would he as the secretary explain supporting a move that seeks to undermine that?” the insider said.

This source said: “Gauteng has pulled a DD [Mabuza] on KZN. They promised to back their candidate, but voting came they went the other direction.”