Ramaphosa is caught between a rock and a hard place – experts

Whether dealing with dynamics within his own party, labour or government policy imperatives, President Cyril Ramaphosa has found himself in “an unenviable position” of being a leader engulfed by pressure from all quarters, according to two leading political analysts.

Asked for their assessment on the impact and the extent of the pressure exerted on Ramaphosa since ascending to the country’s most powerful position after Jacob Zuma, both Nelson Mandela University political lecturer Ongama Mtimka and University of South Africa professor of politics, Lesiba Teffo, were unanimous in conceding that the president faced a “disguised ideological battle”.

While hard at work last week, hosting visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and business heavyweights – selling South Africa as being “ready for business” – a myriad party political, labour and economic issues continued to demand his attention.

These included:

• Cosatu’s proposal for pension funds to be used to bail out the embattled and financially-ailing Eskom;

• Pending retrenchments at SA Airways (SAA);

• A recent veiled threat by ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who has demanded implementation all of the 54th national conference resolutions, with those resisting facing a prospect of a diminished support in the party’s next elective gathering.

In summing up the position Ramaphosa found himself in, Mtimka said: “He is under pressure from all quarters, having to manage very complex political economic problems, given scarce resources and people’s patience running out.

“The objective of the factional rhetoric within the ANC about failure to implement national conference resolutions, is nothing but a proxy to deal with Ramaphosa.”

Teffo was forthright in calling on Ramaphosa – who has been straddling a thin line between party demands and state – to demonstrate “political firmness in the face of adversity”.

“The time has come for him to assert himself as leader of the ANC and society,” said Teffo.

“The twin-cam Ramaphosa-Magashule leadership is not sustainable and will ensure failure. The country needs one bull in the kraal because when two bulls are fighting, the grass suffers.”

While both analysts agreed that Ramaphosa was besieged by pressure, they differed on workers’ pension funds being used to bail out Eskom.

“On Eskom and other state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the reality is that there are not too many options from a fiscal point of view.

“I am a big fan of using worker funds to turn things around, as long as we ensure good governance and a return on investment.”

Teffo disagreed.

“Agreeing to the use of pension funds to fund Eskom will certainly put Ramaphosa under pressure. This will ultimately prove to be an expensive price for supporting the Cosatu position.”

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