Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to home region was gov business – ANC

Alex Matlala

LIMPOPO – While the national leadership of the ANC Youth League calls for a third term for President Jacob Zuma, his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, came home last weekend to allegedly drum up support to succeed Zuma.

In what is seen in some circles as paving his way to attain power as the country’s next leader in 2017, Ramaphosa has been in his home region of Vhembe in Venda to meet stakeholders. He met with the paramount chief of the Vhavhenda clan, Chief Mphephu Ramabulana, and went on to meet community stakeholders in Vhuwane outside Malamulele.

Sources close to Ramaphosa’s electioneering campaign confirmed afterwards the visit by the deputy president was aimed at pleading for blessings from his ancestral land.

“According to tradition,when you buy a new car from a dealer, the first thing you do is to visit your ancestral home and speak to your ancestors for blessings and goodwill. Now Ramaphosa went to the head of the ancestors of his clan (Ramabulana) to seek support and blessings before he kick-start his campaign for the party and the country’s top job,” said one ANC member who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The source, whose name is privy to Ramaphosa’s election campaign in Limpopo, said the deputy president met ANC leaders in Vhembe and will also meet the leadership of the ANC in Limpopo in due course.

The leadership of the ANC was quick to refute the allegations, stating Ramaphosa’s visit to this home province was purely governmental of nature

“He was on government business and his interaction with the people of Vuwani was part of the government programme. The entire PEC and REC leadership and branch delegates where at the special PGC,” stated Aluwani Nethsianda of the ANC on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa’s alleged bid to succeed Zuma may not be a walk in the park as jostling for the party’s number one post was full of obstacles. Those in the know believe chairman of the African Union, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, was in the race to replace her former husband. In the grapevine it is even claimed Zuma himself will pave the way for his former wife to succeed him.

Furthermore, it is understood the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, is harbouring interest to step into Zuma’s shoes when his term lapses in 2009.

Politial analyst, Elvis Masoga, described Ramaphosa as a tried and tested carder who understand the politics of the ANC inside out. “Ramaphosa understands the culture of the ANC in that a deputy president always succeed the president when his term lapses. It will be a suicidal for the ANC to let a former wife of the president succeed him. Ramaphosa should concentrate on other vital governmental work instead of a succession debate because the presidential seat is just waiting for him.”