Ramaphosa needs to ‘protect those not tainted by corruption’

With the new national executive committee (NEC) finally named, analysts say it is important President Cyril Ramaphosa shields clean members from the wave of corruption besetting the ANC.

There were 252 candidates vying for 80 positions, with 41 women and 39 men getting the nod.

The list contained NEC members who have incompetence attached to their names, shady pasts and accused of playing a part in state capture, so it was critical Ramaphosa protected the good ones.

NEC members who seem to have clean pasts include Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola, former Gauteng premier David Makhura, Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Mmamoloko Kubayi, and Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams.

Cabinet reshuffle

Political analyst Goodenough Mashego said Ramaphosa should use the reshuffle of Cabinet to make effective changes.

Ramaphosa had an opportunity to do a reshuffle and appoint ministers not tainted by corruption allegations or charges, and who happened to be in the NEC.

“Ramaphosa should place them in strategic positions and promote others, while removing those who fought against him,” he said. “Whether there would be a renewal of the ANC – which meant the renewal of the country – will depend on the grand Cabinet reshuffle, which should happen, and whoever appears will show if Ramaphosa was serious about renewal or not.”

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The list also included deputy minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Thembi Nkadimeng, the ANC’s general manager at Luthuli House Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule, Minister of the Environment Forestry and Fisheries Barbara Creecy, and three members of the ANC Youth League – Zuko Godlimpi, Nonceba Mhlauli and Joy Maumela.

Mashego said after a list was drawn up, an induction took place, which showed what their responsibilities would be.

Most came from PECs and “those already understand how the executive committee works”.

“Some of them, being new and others new to national politics, I do not think it should really deter much when it comes to appointing them to critical Cabinet positions, because when you become a minister, there is already a department headed by professionals so your [appointment] is only political,” he said.

“Anybody can become a minister, as long as they understand the separation of roles between the ministry and department.

“I think it is not to [discourage] him that people who are over a certain age can comfortably be left out and replaced with people who are younger and naive, but the good thing about naivety is that it means you are still going to learn.

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“We should get rid of the rotten and those who think they are matured, but whose next step could only be rotten.”

Ramaphosa can guide and advise

Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast said while it was important to protect clean ones from the wave of corruption, it was a difficult task because the final decision lay with them.

Breakfast said “even a parent can’t protect their kids from wrongdoings”. Ramaphosa can guide and advise but it would also depend whether they wanted to be ethical.

“The list is filled with young blood but in any workplace, if you want to put the organisation on the map, you have to have young people and old people working side by side to transfer knowledge.”

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