Ramaphosa receives Sanco’s backing for ANC president

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign to succeed President Jacob Zuma as ANC leader received an endorsement from the South African National Civic Organisation on Saturday.

Sanco threw its weight behind Ramaphosa following its national executive committee meeting this weekend in Johannesburg, News24 reported.

The civic organisation said the deputy president, who’s seen as a frontrunner for the top job along with ANC national executive member, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, would help to unit and build cohesion within the ruling party.

Skhumbuzo Mpanza, Sanco’s general secretary, said they believed a united ANC under Ramaphosa’s leadership had the best chances for the party retaining power in 2019.

“Amongst our major interests is who becomes the president of the country as this will determine the life and survival of our communities.

“We therefore can’t afford a situation whereby the ANC is shaken in the upcoming elections and we can’t witness a time in our history where again our society is leaderless,” Mpanza said.

The organisation said in its formal endorsement of Ramaphosa, he had the necessary competencies for president to bring together the State, organised labor, organised civil society and business interests. It also said he had the capabilities to oversee social cohesion, international interests and the proper functioning of government, according to the report.

Sanco called for the ANC’s leadership race to be handled with sensitivity, while also urging the party’s leaders to unite behind Ramaphosa.

The ANC will elect a new leader later this year in December at its 54^th national congress when Zuma’s term ends as ANC president.

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