If not Cyril, then who else?

Who would have thought that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula would kinda be the voice of reason when it comes to defending President Cyril Ramaphosa?

It’s odd to hear how people are calling for the presidential head based on the election results for the ANC.

Yes, they were disappointing for the ruling party but it’s not like they haven’t been on a downward trend after the electoral glory days of Thabo Mbeki.

ANC’s downward trend

Perhaps the extent of the drop this time around is on the extreme side, sure.

Question is, if we believe the ANC to be a movement as we’re constantly told, would nipping off the tip of the head have done much to change the results?

It’s not cool to claim to be a collective movement when things are looking great and then turn around to get a haircut claiming to be a different organisation when things have turned.

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Cyril the scapegoat?

As disappointing as Ramaphosa has been as president, it’s a structurally different issue when dealing with the ANC.

Yes, they may feel he’s been a shocking leader of the political party and if that’s the case, a more intensive culling would be appropriate.

How is it that Ramaphosa takes the hit but the top seven don’t? Where was the national executive committee throughout this poor showing?

How worthy is a collective if they’re nowhere to be seen in the party’s time of need, only to surface to review the poor performance of the only people who put in a performance?

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The fall of the ANC cannot solely be attributed to Ramaphosa.

Perhaps the rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party can solely be attributed to Jacob Zuma but MK doesn’t have over a century of history, structures across the country and existing deployees throughout the state infrastructure.

In the corporate world, there is a practice of sending CYA e-mails. These cover-your-ass e-mails are designed to keep you in the clear when things go bad so you can confirm that you have proof you did your job when the company goes under.

The company going under isn’t really the concern as long as it’s not your fault. But, funny story, the company still goes under regardless. In the ANC, the CYA isn’t done by e-mail but simply by a process of deputising.

The cadres on the ground got the mobilising done so clearly, it’s Ramaphosa’s fault. We won’t dwell on the years of criticism the ANC has had, the several admissions of lost years and an entire state capture institution.

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ANC’s track record

We also can’t dwell on the other ridiculous statements coming out of ANC bigwigs about getting used to load shedding and, more telling, calls for “black pacts”.

Remember the party that recalled two successive presidents? That same party that gave us midnight musical chairs with finance ministers.

The one who also brought us wonderfully inept service delivery deliverers and hoards of cash to educate the masses to be thrown into an increasing pit of unemployed graduates? Yeah, those guys! It’s all Ramaphosa’s fault.

Sit down! You can’t be high up in an institution that’s failed and pin the failure on one dude. If you could, why even bother having those 79 others?

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ANC’s identity crisis

Who is going to lead the ANC back above 50%? Place your bets because mine is on there’s no hope.

The issues are not with who is leading the organisation but what the organisation has become in the eyes of the people; incapable of delivering a better life for all.

I mean, thanks for the free education and attempts at free health care but we’ve had those in a different form since the ’90s and it was stuffed up.

At some point, people might actually realise that promises are not met. So tell me, naysayers… you want to get rid of Ramaphosa? And who would do better?