Timid Cyril has no choice, he must act now

That President Cyril Ramaphosa would have to implement his rare cabinet reshuffle is without a doubt because circumstances compel him to do it – whether he likes it or not.

But Ramaphosa is notorious for procrastination and unnecessary delays, even if a single vacant post of a cabinet minister has to be filled. That’s because he consults too much and fears to divide the ANC because, to him, the party is a priority over the country.

Ramaphosa’s timid style of leadership annoys. Even those who supported him during his troubles are beginning to get fed up with his indecisiveness.

Everybody expects him to act against Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

But you know what? Ramaphosa won’t do it.

Don’t be surprised if our president disappoints all and keeps the ministers in his cabinet as if they brought something special for him, other than political misery in the last five years.

Also Read: Instead of a cabinet reshuffle, Ramaphosa needs to clean house

Who can tell Ramaphosa that these politicians have no constituencies or followers – and never had them – and dismissing them will not have any political impact.

He needs to ask why they could not make the threshold to become ANC presidential candidates at Nasrec.

In 2017, Dlamini-Zuma entered the race and competed against Ramaphosa for the party’s presidency.

Because of the tiny backing of the ANC Women’s League at the time, she mostly had to ride on the wave of Jacob Zuma’s support, drummed up based on his “victim act” since former president Thabo Mbeki dismissed him as deputy president in 2005 over arms deal corruption allegations he faced.

Like all who needed support for his cause in KwaZulu-Natal, she had to get blessings from Nkandla.

Dlamini-Zuma was not the last to consult with the former president as we saw a host of KZN regional leaders filing up to meet Zuma, who seems to be stoking ANC troubles.

They were preceded by Zweli Mkhize, who failed to get the old man’s approval as he insisted that Dlamini-Zuma should be given another chance to contest for president. Even Ace Magashule was annoyed by Zuma.

That broke up the KwaZulu-Natal ANC into three groupings as they went to Nasrec – comprising a tiny minority who wanted Dlamini-Zuma, a majority that wanted Mkhize and the rest supported Ramaphosa, who had made serious inroads into province.

This is a difficult province that, in the main, believes only a Zulu must be a leader of the ANC or the country.

Unfortunately, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Gauteng were not interested in KZN tribalism, despite the fact that some of their leaders were already convinced to ditch Ramaphosa and join Mkhize at Nasrec.

Also Read: What now for KZN after Cyril’s victory?

It became apparent that Dlamini-Zuma was voted for by the Nkandla ANC branch and a few from KZN because the Talibans – as the provincial leaders are called – were behind Mkhize.

Dlamini-Zuma is even better than Sisulu, who had no support in KZN because she is not Zulu and her support elsewhere is limited.

In her first rally as presidential candidate held in Kimberly this year, she addressed a hall with 10 people.

ANC members from the safely Ramaphosa-backing province posted her pictures on social media for all to see.

Both women should just give up on their presidential ambitions. They tried twice already but it didn’t work out.

Ramaphosa must reshuffle the Cabinet, do away with the two and bring in more dynamic individuals with dedication to the people and service delivery.

He must know that if he fails on this, he will lose support even among from those who believe he is a good leader, because they want a decisive leader.