RET lacks candidate for Presidency as options have run out

The erstwhile rebellious radical economic transformation (RET) faction seems to have run out of steam in its quest to prevent President Cyril Ramaphosa from securing a second term and without Jacob Zuma and Ace Magashule, the group faces a loss in December.

The RET faction’s hopes are fading as it is unable to field a prominent leader for December after some refused to accept Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as their presidential candidate.

Many RET members had endorsed Ramaphosa’s challenger, Zweli Mkhize, who is the only one who can give Ramaphosa a run for his money, if the Digital Vibes saga was not standing in his way.

But Dlamini-Zuma has not given up and has come up with a new plan to keep her second bid for the ANC top job on track.

As their chances of victory against Ramaphosa are slim, Dlamini-Zuma and another presidential candidate, Lindiwe Sisulu, are working on a cooperation pact that would see one be the presidential candidate and the other the deputy.

According to a source close to the Dlamini-Zuma campaign, their campaign teams met to discuss the matter but the two leaders were yet to engage each other about who should occupy which position.

“In terms of the tentative agreement, Dlamini-Zuma would be president and Sisulu a deputy. “If all went according to plan, Dlamini-Zuma would be president for one term and Lindiwe as deputy president with a promise to groom a younger person to take over the higher office from her.

“I know their campaigners have been engaged and some national executive committee members have been engaged,” the source said.

The agreement between the two leaders was in line with a suggestion by historian and heritage analyst Dr George Tsibani that it’s time for women to take over as ANC men have failed the nation since 1994.

Tsibani said the coming into power of Italy’s first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, should inspire South Africa to go for a leadership framework where women were in charge of the country.

He suggested Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as president and Dlamini-Zuma as deputy or vice versa. He said the two have international experience and would be acceptable to the markets and the international community in general.

Mlambo-Ngcuka previously headed UN Women and Dlamini-Zuma was chair of the African Union Commission. Tsibani said Meloni was seen as a candidate to turn around the Italian economy and she had promised an economic recovery plan in the Mediterranean region.

Those who rejected Dlamini-Zuma within the RET grouping still hoped Magashule would bulldoze his way into the ANC presidential race to challenge Ramaphosa.

Magashule himself pins his hopes on his name being raised by branch delegates on the national conference floor, in spite of the graft charges he faces in court.

However, even in Magashule’s home province, Free State, the RET faction is set to lose to pro-Ramaphosa candidates, Mxolisi Dukwana and Thabo Manyoni.