President Cyril Ramaphosa is under pressure from triumphant supporters to wield the axe against his opponents in the cabinet after receiving a strong mandate at the ANC’s national conference.
The push for Ramaphosa to make changes is reinforced by the fact that some of his cabinet ministers failed to make it onto the national executive committee (NEC) in voting at the adjourned Nasrec gathering. Those out in the cold include deputy president David Mabuza.
The election of Fikile Mbalula as party secretary-general — a full-time job — created a vacancy at the head of the transport portfolio, and former public service & administration minister Ayanda Dlodlo has yet to be replaced after taking a job at the World Bank.
Insiders close to the president said he needs to deal with the rivals who undermined and attacked him during campaigning for the 55th conference. These include co-operative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and deputy minister of public enterprises Phumulo Masualle.
One NEC member said Ramaphosa would have to make changes to his cabinet as soon as possible after the conference finally concludes next month. There was talk this week that Mabuza has already informed the ANC of his intention to step down.
You know she likes drama. She’s going to wait until she’s fired because that way she will project herself as a victim and try to get public sympathy
— ANC insider, referring to Lindiwe Sisulu
“I think the president has got no choice,” said the NEC member, who asked not to be identified.
“If we want to win 2024 we have to infuse young, dynamic people in the leadership of government, that has to happen like yesterday. Conference has spoken, the branches are saying let there be change, you can’t ignore the message that comes from the national conference.
“Conference must end, it has been adjourned. The reshuffle must happen immediately after end of conference on January 5.”
Another senior party leader who serves in Ramaphosa’s executive said the president was now expected to show more “decisiveness” following his landslide victory in winning a second term last weekend.
“What this win means is that he no longer has to look over his shoulder,” said the source, referring to criticism that Ramaphosa had failed to take bold decisions and rein in ministers who showed him disrespect during his first term.
The party leader said Dlamini-Zuma was likely to step down of her own accord without waiting to be fired.
Dlamini-Zuma, who was nominated from the floor at Nasrec to stand against Ramaphosa but declined to do so, stunned the nation last week when she led three other ANC MPs in voting in favour of a process to initiate impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa.
Sisulu, who mounted a failed bid to oust Ramaphosa at Nasrec, could also be in the firing line. But sources in Ramaphosa’s inner circle said that unlike Dlamini-Zuma, Sisulu was likely to “stubbornly” hold onto her cabinet post to the bitter end.
“You know she likes drama. She’s going to wait until she’s fired because that way she will project herself as a victim and try to get public sympathy,” said one source.
Dlamini-Zuma told the Sunday Times after the outcome of voting at Nasrec that she was ready to work under Ramaphosa’s leadership, in whatever capacity.
“The new leadership has been elected, of course the new leadership must be supported, the contest is over and the new leadership must embrace the losers and losers must embrace the leadership,” she said.
“The real victor is the ANC and we are looking forward to working together in whatever capacity. We work in the ANC, it does not matter what capacity you are in, but you serve the people in whatever way, so we hope that we will be able to work together in whatever capacity until 2024 and beyond.
“And of course I'll always be a servant of the people until I die,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
While confirming that the president will need to make new cabinet appointments, presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa will not use the opportunity to conduct a purge.
“The president will never use the exercise of his prerogative for reprisal or irrationally. He will always exercise his constitutional powers with a degree of care as to the stability of government, continuity and improved service delivery,” said Magwenya.
He said Ramaphosa would apply his mind to replacing Mbalula and filling other cabinet posts. “Where necessary, he will consult, and after careful consideration he will exercise his prerogative.”
The new leadership has been elected, of course the new leadership must be supported, the contest is over and the new leadership must embrace the losers and losers must embrace the leadership
— Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
An announcement would be made at an appropriate time once Ramaphosa had properly reflected on the conference outcomes and the upcoming year.
There is growing pressure from within the ANC for decisive action.
NEC member Nkenke Kekana said delegates at the national conference signalled that there has to be change. “The message … says there must be a change of guard, the baton has to be handed over to young, dynamic, energetic leaders of the ANC. They are in that NEC and they need to be given the chance to lead the ANC into the 2024 elections,” he said.
Kekana said Ramaphosa and his new ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile had yet to discuss what a new cabinet might look like. “It’s too soon for the president to have had this conversation with Paul, it’s just two days after conference,” he said.
The president’s allies this week spoke about how he and Mashatile joined forces in defeating the Zweli Mkhize slate. Following the release of the results, Mkhize’s group complained about having been betrayed by Mashatile and his supporters.
Party leaders from Gauteng, including provincial secretary TK Nciza and provincial executive member Lebogang Maile, instructed their delegation to vote for Mkhize. Other leaders who sided with Mkhize were North West chair Nono Maloyi and Limpopo chair Stan Mathabatha and his deputy Florence Radzilani.
But Mashatile’s backers say there was never an agreement between Mashatile and Mkhize to vote for the latter as president.
“Paul did not agree with a Zweli presidency,” an NEC member said. “You can’t betray something you didn’t agree with. We agreed with them on Paul and there was never a condition attached to them supporting Paul provided we support Zweli … So there is no betrayal, we stuck to our campaign.”
In the Limpopo delegation, Mathabatha and Radzilani’s instruction to delegates to vote for Mkhize was met with resistance.
Limpopo provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe is said to have led the revolt by marshalling the delegation to deliver victory for Ramaphosa.
“Madadzhe came to us after hearing that the provincial executive committee is turning against Cyril to say ‘this cannot happen’,” said a senior party leader from Limpopo.
“We then spoke to other regional leaders, including [Peter Mokaba regional chair] John Mpe, [Sekhukhune regional secretary Mathope] Thala and the leadership of Waterberg and Vhembe to say delegates must not be confused.
“We established various WhatsApp groups with all of us, which we would desert as soon as we could tell we were infiltrated. We would discuss and then update Paul and his people, so that’s how we operated. We made sure people did not find out that we’ve had a whiff of their plan and we’re countering it.”
The Mashatile/Ramaphosa group from Gauteng and Limpopo worked independently from the CR22 group — which was pushing for Eastern Cape chair Oscar Mabuyane to become deputy president. Mabuyane was defeated by Mashatile.
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