Ramaphosa must not try to cover up claims

If President Cyril Ramaphosa was a man being backed into a corner – following allegations of a theft of money from his game ranch – he certainly didn’t look it at the ANC’s Limpopo conference closing session.

A jovial and confident Ramaphosa brushed aside as political conspiracy the allegations against him by former spy boss Arthur Fraser. The president denied, for a start, that the money taken was anything like the $4 million Fraser claimed it was … and then went on to say he had never stolen any money “from the taxpayer”.

That was a deliberate reference to most of his opponents in the race for the end-of-year ANC elections, where Ramaphosa is aiming for a second term as the party president.

Most of those who oppose him are loyal to former president Jacob Zuma and he, and most of them, have to answer allegations that they looted taxpayer money.

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But, it was the very act of standing on the podium in Limpopo which showed that Ramaphosa may well turn out to be the “Teflon President” – so well insulated that allegations of impropriety will simply slide off his back.

Not only is Limpopo his home turf, but his people won the race for party provincial leadership. And, he has the knowledge that the Eastern Cape structures are, similarly, within his kraal.

Although the Gauteng region of Ekurhuleni went to a Zuma fan, Mzwandile Masina, the battle for this key province is by no means a foregone conclusion and Ramaphosa’s support here is still strong. His only real battle will be in the rebellious KwaZulu-Natal province – and even then, the walkover that the Zuma faction is expecting won’t happen, either.

Ramaphosa will weather this storm and probably go on to triumph at the end of the year. But he must not try to cover up the latest claims.