New era?: President Cyril Ramaphosa gives the closing address at last month’s ANC conference where he got re-elected, giving him the support he needs to shake things up. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
ANALYSIS
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to make sweeping changes to his cabinet after his overwhelming victory at the party’s national conference last month, some of his closest allies confirmed this week.
Ramaphosa received a resounding nod from ANC delegates when he garnered 2 436 votes for re-election ahead of presidency contender Zweli Mkhize’s 1 897.
This was the green light he and his supporters needed to make aggressive changes to the ANC, which will probably see many of the president’s detractors in his cabinet getting the axe.
This week, newly elected ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula and Eastern Cape chairperson Oscar Mabuyane alluded to the changes during separate events held ahead of the second leg of the party’s elective conference, as well as its annual birthday celebrations set to take place in Mangaung in the Free State on Sunday.
The ANC adjourned its conference after countless delays resulted in commissions failing to adopt resolutions before the 20 December deadline.
This week, during interactions with the media, Ramaphosa said that the national conference had given him the boost necessary to take the party forward.
Unlike his first run at party president, Ramaphosa has the support of some of his most ardent backers in the ANC top seven. In 2017, he was forced to work with detractors which included former secretary general Ace Magashule, who tried unsuccessfully to suspend Ramaphosa from the party after Magashule himself was suspended because of criminal charges.
The Ramaphosa allies the Mail & Guardian spoke to agreed that ANC members and leaders must shape up or ship out and that a younger cohort was needed.
At a media briefing this week, Mbalula said: “We come from a conference; there are a number of issues the president has to consider as the head of cabinet. He does not have to go full-blown reshuffle but, even before the conference, there were vacancies in the cabinet and he has to think about that. If he does not think about that, he is reckless.”
Mbalula’s words were echoed by Mabuyane during a special provincial executive committee meeting. He said the cabinet should reflect the national executive committee (NEC), which looked “energetic”.
“We expect no excuses on the implementation of ANC resolutions. We expect better performance and agility in government, particularly on service delivery, economic recovery and general improvement in the living conditions of our people,” Mabuyane said.
“With 15 months to go before our nation celebrates 30 years of democracy, we must push the 55th national conference to give a clear mandate to the ANC-led government to implement extraordinary service delivery programmes, that are labour intensive, in our communities to address challenges such as potholes, provision of water to needy communities and maintenance of rural roads, to mention a few,” he said.
ANC cabinet ministers who failed to make the cut in the newly elected NEC, and are likely to be considered when the party does its chop, include Pravin Gordhan, Nathi Mthetwa, Thulas Nxesi, Blade Nzimande, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Naledi Pandor.
All of them are over the age of 50.
Another consideration will be the redeployment of current state deputy president David Mabuza, who failed to meet the threshold for nomination. His position as party deputy president was taken over by Paul Mashatile, who will probably want to take over the role as soon as possible.
With the clear mandate handed to them at the 55th national conference, Ramaphosa and his allies are also expected to take more decisive steps against those who have defied him and the party line.
Already in their sights is senior party leader Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who is due to be hauled in front of the ANC disciplinary committee this year, along with three other MPs. The four voted with the opposition to start parliamentary impeachment proceedings against the president relating to the Phala Phala scandal.
A section 89 independent panel was set up by parliament to ascertain whether Ramaphosa had to answer for the Phala Phala scandal and found prima facie evidence against him.
While newly elected deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane cautioned that the ANC cannot rely on disciplinary action as a punitive measure against party leaders, she is outnumbered as Ramaphosa backers are clear that discipline will “run supreme” in the organisation.
“Discipline is equal to the rule of law. Once the rule of law in the country is not there, the authority of the state is challenged, that government will not fly,” Mbalula said.
Mabuyane said the ANC must push the national conference to take firm resolutions on discipline, particularly on members who defy political instructions from leadership structures.
“All those who attempted to disrupt proceedings and cause anarchy during the 55th national conference must face consequences of their conduct. A line must be drawn and a lesson or two must be learnt to nip ill-discipline in the bud,” Mabuyane said. “We must also push the national conference to be firm on disciplining members who abuse their freedom of speech to the detriment of the organisation.”
“We support the comments by the secretary general [Mbalula] that communication on ANC matters would be managed properly going forward to stop the frenzy of NEC members who are acting as self-appointed spokespersons of the ANC in the media.”
Last year, Ramaphosa had already taken steps towards enforcing the rule of law in the party by boosting its disciplinary committee with individuals such as Vusi Pikoli, Thandi Orleyn, Enver Surty and Kerensa Millard. They have all, in some way, been involved with law enforcement and state security.
Ramaphosa has previously stated that the governing party is the number one accused when it comes to corruption.
It could therefore be viewed as prudent that he has brought the aforementioned — unblemished by the Jacob Zuma years — into the disciplinary committee to overhaul the party’s tarnished image.
The ANC’s radical economic transformation (RET) grouping — of which Zuma is considered the grandfather — was the biggest loser at last month’s conference.
RET proponent Magashule was ignored by conference delegates, with not a single one fighting for his reinstatement. He is likely to be expelled from the party when the disciplinary committee meets to discuss his case.
It was Andile Lungisa who delegates fought to reinstate following his suspension from the party. Lungisa emerged as one of the ANC leaders to top the NEC list.
Magashule stands accused of bringing the party into disrepute relating to the letter wherein he tried to suspend Ramaphosa in May 2021.
The RET faction was established in 2017 in support of Dlamini Zuma’s presidential ambitions and once dominated the ANC. It was headed by Zuma and Magashule. One of the RET faction’s most verbal footsoldiers, Carl Niehaus, was expelled last month.
Ramaphosa’s usually subdued way of addressing the RET faction and its leaders was anything but this week when he spoke at an ANC Women’s League event.
Timeslive reported the president decried how Magashule and his allies “captured” Free State branches, adding that it took former ANC presidents, including Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and himself, to take the first steps to dismantle this capture.
“The train of renewal is in motion and it will crush anyone who stands in its way,” Ramaphosa is reported to have said.
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