Signs of defiance against Ramaphosa beginning to emerge – analyst

Signs of defiance against President Cyril Ramaphosa are beginning to emerge as his fight against corruption is being undermined by provincial structures that reinstate suspended party officials against standing rules.

KwaZulu-Natal has joined Limpopo as the latest to reinstate its party deputy leader, Mike Mabuyakhulu, despite being put on suspension pending the conclusion of his trial for corruption and fraud. With reports that North West was resisting any attempt to rein it in, this was gaining momentum.

Mabuyakhulu and former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede were asked to step aside by the provincial executive committee due to fraud and corruption charges they faced. The charges against Gumede, who was also removed as a member of the KZN legislature, emanated from the sanitation tender worth millions of rands at the municipality.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said what the KZN ANC did was no different to what their counterparts in Limpopo did where they reinstated party leaders who were charged in connection with the VBS Mutual Bank looting.

“There is a sense of revolt by some provinces against Cyril and the central leadership of the party,” Mathekga said. He added in the North West, members refused to step aside when told to do so by the party and questioned the decision.

“The party is struggling here. It needs to rein in the provinces, but those provinces were autonomous and were a source of power on their own. They are trying to test the strength of the leadership at national level,” Mathekga said.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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