Ramaphosa will not purge his opponents – expert

After a tight race for the ANC top leadership positions, what happens to the losers?

Former minster of health Zweli Mkhize was seen as the biggest loser by all accounts, considering what was at stake for him, but observers say it would be unwise of Ramaphosa to dump him because he would be useful to the party.

Mkhize tried to revive his political career by running against Ramaphosa – a move some saw as an attempt to dissolve the news surrounding the Digital Vibes saga, in which he and his family allegedly benefitted.

Mkhize can still come back stronger

A KwaZulu-Natal delegate, David Zwane, said the results were a big disappointment as there were a lot of expectations surrounding Mkhize’s possible election as president.

However, Zwane said, the branches from the province would have to accept the outcomes of the conference and the KZN provincial executive committee needed to rethink its strategy as this was the second time in succession it did not have representation in the top echelon of the party.

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“They just need to focus on the unity of the organisation and prepare for the national 2024 election to sustain the party in leading the country to avoid finding themselves in a coalition.

“We also need to do an introspection when it comes to the way we elect leaders, doing away with [tribalism], and a lot education to delegates and change the strategies that do not yield any good results.”

Zwane added Mkhize had been in the game of politics and would not bow down easily, although it was a huge blow for him.

“He can still come back stronger,” he said.

Ramaphosa won’t purge opponents

Political analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said since Ramaphosa had been promoting the concept of unity and renewal, he would probably still reach out to those who did not support him.

“I do not think he strikes as a person who would purge his opponents,” he said.

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Breakfast said a person like Mkhize was a seasoned politician with experience in the ANC.

“Those people are needed in terms of campaigning and building for the ANC, so it could be a misconception to elbow them simply because they contested him,” he said.

“But there might be an argument that if they continued to undermine him, he would have to take disciplinary hearing against them.”

Breakfast said this might not be the end of the road for Mkhize because his main challenge was the newly elected deputy president, Paul Mashatile.

“It is quite clear what Mashatile’s agenda is – he wants to be the president of the ANC. So that might affect Mkhize if he wants to stand in future.”

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