Ramaphosa isn’t in charge of the ANC, it’s the other way around – Maimane

Opposition leader Mmusi Maimane had strong words for President Cyril Ramaphosa while debating his second state of the nation address (Sona), which took place on Thursday night.

In parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Maimane told the president he was not the one in charge of the country, and that it was rather his party, the ANC, in charge of him. This mattered, he claimed, because former president Jacob Zuma allegedly still holds sway over the ANC.

“It’s them who are in charge, not you,” said Maimane, pointing at the ANC caucus. “That’s why you love spending time oversees, because there the ANC is not around,” he continued.

According to Maimane, when Ramaphosa was in Davos “and being interviewed by foreign press” he could “say whatever” he liked, but on return he was met with the ANC of people such as Deputy President David Mabuza, reinstated North West chairperson Supra Mahumapelo and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

“That’s the ANC that is in charge,” he added.

READ MORE: WATCH: Ramaphosa calls Ace Magashule his ‘boss … without him I am nothing’

At this point, an ANC MP raised a point of order after Maimane referred to Mabuza without using his official title, calling on him to refer to Mabuza “in an appropriate manner”, after which Maimane corrected himself, referring to him as Deputy President David Mabuza.

Maimane continued to allege that the ANC the president led was “still the ANC of Jacob Zuma”.

“They disagree with you on every policy,” he said.

“They believe in nationalisation of land, the nationalisation of mines, and the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank,” he said.

“They know you are not joking when you said of Deputy President David Mabuza, this is my boss, the real boss, without him I am nothing,” he continued, referring incorrectly to a video in which Ramaphosa does indeed say those words, but in reference to Ace Magashule, not Mabuza.

“I want to believe your Sona address, but you’re not in charge,” Maimane said.

READ MORE: Ramaphosa jokes that he will sing Thuma Mina if Malema wins the elections

At this point, an ANC MP raised a point of order, asking Maimane if he was in charge of the DA. Maimane elected not to engage with the question.

Earlier in his speech, Maimane referenced the joke with which Ramaphosa began his second Sona.

Ramaphosa had joked that if Julius Malema became president of South Africa he would sing Thuma Mina for him, and would ask Maimane to join him in his “band”.

“You know, Mr President, I am deeply flattered when you said we should join a band together as you said on Thursday.

“But I’m not sure it’s going to work out well, because what remains true is you much prefer to sing the ANC’s tune – while I prefer to sing the tune of the people of this country.”

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