The Phala Phala panel’s report casts a dark and damaging shadow over Ramaphosa’s presidency. (Photo: Delwyn Verasamy, M&G)
Toeing the party line as the country burns. We have seen this in many iterations during the Jacob Zuma years, leading to the crumbling of many of our state institutions and rampant looting. For President Cyril Ramaphosa, party members and the elite will clamour to hold on to seats and class strata and toe the line.
For two days last week, we had a president who was frozen by indecision over whether to resign — until he was persuaded not to. The president failed to turn up for scheduled question time in the National Council of Provinces and even failed to pitch at a hastily convened meeting of his party’s national executive committee called to deal with the fallout over the findings of the section 89 panel headed by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo.
Ramaphosa reeled as the world held its breath. Was he to resign or not?
Let’s go back seven years to when Zuma was on the ropes over the Gupta leaks and mounting evidence of state capture. During his nine years he faced eight votes of no confidence. He was not in the least bit worried. He knew the line of patronage would protect him. He knew that he was the king of the tenders and most in his party needed him to keep their positions. Ramaphosa was Zuma’s deputy.
From the firepool scandal and landing of a Gupta jet at the Waterkloof Air Force Base to state capture, the ANC MPs toed the party line and came to their president’s defence, no matter what the consequences for the country and its people.
Tuesday will come and it is clear from the highest of ANC leaders that the party must toe the line. The party must protect Ramaphosa. What is the incentive to do that for ANC members? Some want to argue that at least Ramaphosa did not steal taxpayers’ money. That cannot be how low the bar is.
How different are those who will toe the party line on Tuesday to reject the section 89 panel’s report to those who rejected the firepool report and many others? And what do they stand to gain from protecting Ramaphosa?
A friend (or foe) remembered this week that in a meeting of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid held on the 13 April 1964, Thabo Mbeki spoke so passionately and humbly against the prosecution of ANC leaders at the Rivonia trial. He pleaded for the international community to intervene. “The leaders at the Rivonia Trial cannot be allowed to die at the hands of the South African government.”
The friend (or foe) asked, “Fifty-eight years later, given what we have become as a movement, was it really worth it for the Rivonia trialists to commit their lives, limbs and souls for our Freedom?”
Was it worth it for that generation to sacrifice their youth for freedom and for that freedom to be betrayed by those whose selfish interest trumps the national interest?