Knives are out for Ramaphosa in ‘ANC madhouse’, but stepping aside ‘problematic’

The knives are out for President Cyril Ramaphosa and the “ANC snakes are biting each other”.

So says leading political analyst Xolani Dube, who has described the ANC as a “bunch of confused fools” in a madhouse.

His remarks came after the Section 89 panel report found that Ramaphosa has “a case to answer” in connection with the burglary at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

“In a madhouse, nothing is predictable because they do things on an impulse. A madhouse is very chaotic. You will never understand what is happening in the ANC even if you try to analyse it,” said Dube.

‘All of them are corrupt’

He said he was still surprised why the ANC national executive committee (NEC) did not force Ramaphosa to step aside when it met two weeks ago.

“There is an integrity commission report and they never wanted to act on the recommendation of that report.

“The problem with the ANC is that all of them are corrupt. So this report has nothing to do with Cyril but the ANC as a whole. It is just like the Arms Deal and the Guptas issue. It is not about individuals but the whole organisation.

“Since democracy, we are solving the stealing of the ANC. We are not talking about issues… how those affect our country.”

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An ANC NEC insider told The Citizen a special NEC meeting sat last night to discuss the report.

Ramaphosa’s detractors were expected to ask him to step aside and his deputy David Mabuza announced as acting president.

Asked if Mabuza would serve as acting president, the NEC member said: “What I am picking up is what I saw on TV. I do not want to be opportunistic and respond. I do not know anything, but I am looking forward to going to the NEC,” the member said.

Mabuza’s media liaison officer Matshepo Seedat dismissed any claims he would take over from Ramaphosa if forced to step aside.

“I do not know anything of that sort. We do not comment about rumours,” she said.

Ramaphosa ‘has nothing to lose’

Dube said even if Ramaphosa was asked to step aside, he has nothing to lose.

“What is there for him to lose if he steps aside? He has gained everything from us. The issue of stepping aside is a problem for the ANC.

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“They were weaponising it against the other faction and now the spear is facing them, and what are they going to do? The option they have now is to cancel the step aside [rule].

“Don’t be surprised that when they see that the scales of removing Cyril will affect their livelihoods, they [will] turn and say they want [him] to deal with the outstanding issue while looking for a solution.

“They know that if Ramaphosa is gone, the ANC – come 2024 – will be finished,” Dube said.