Impact of what Zuma said about Ramaphosa ‘absolutely minimal’ – ANC veteran

ANC veteran Mavuso Msimang has weighed in on former South African presidents’ disapproval of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration following this weekend’s addresses by the former statesmen. He previously said he felt the ANC’s approach to dealing with corruption was a betrayal to voters.

Jacob Zuma

On Saturday, Zuma held a press conference in Johannesburg and said the country’s problems were too big for Ramaphosa to be hustling on the side through Phala Phala Farm sales.

“Cyril Ramaphosa conducting private business while holding a high office of being president of the country is in itself unconstitutional and nothing but corruption. Your president is corrupt.”

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Despite the President being haunted by controversy and cornered from all angles to answer questions about the farm robbery, Msimang, speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Monday, said that Zuma’s rants were “harmless”, especially given his history with the law.  

“Jacob Zuma did say that Ramaphosa is corrupt but really, I think the impact on Ramaphosa will be minimal considering the person who is making the allegations.“

“He is a person who spent over ten years doing the best he could to avoid going to court, to avoid answering to allegations of corruption. He spent lots of money – many millions doing that. So I think the impact of what he is saying, is going to be absolutely minimal,” said Msimang.

Thabo Mbeki

Mbeki shared Zuma’s sentiments while speaking at the annual general meeting of the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) on Saturday.

He said the political quality of leaders in the party had declined over the years.

“Since we have come into government, we have attracted people who want to come into the ranks of the ANC, that have nothing about them, know nothing about the policies or values of the ANC.

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Msimang, however, believes that everything Mbeki said was already known to citizens but said he could have used a different channel to “vent”.

“President Thabo Mbeki said a lot of things that were hard hitting and some of which were a direct implication of the reputation of President Ramaphosa. I don’t think he said anything that is unknown by anybody in the country.

“But, to honest with you, I think these are remarks that should have been in-house. I’d really like to believe that he didn’t know that they were being broadcasted.”

Kgalema Motlanthe

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe has meanwhile joined a list of ANC leaders who have cautioned the two former party presidents from speaking out against Ramaphosa.

Speaking to the Mail & Guardian on the criticism from the former presidents, he said both had a right to express their views, but that protocol should be applied. 

“We must always defend that right [of free speech] that they have, and also that there are certain protocols that must apply to those who have left office to, in a sense, refrain from engaging very directly with the incumbents.

“It’s better when asked to give advice to be ready and available to perform whatever task is given to former office bearers, but as much as possible to refrain from drawing attention to former office bearers. I think it’s a distraction.”

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Sunday evening on a raft of measures government intends on taking to implement Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s more than 300 recommendations contained in the state capture reports and the National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed this decision.

ALSO READ: NPA welcomes Ramaphosa’s decision to make Investigating Directorate permanent