Tag: Cyril Ramaphosa

The attack by Congress of the People president Mosiuoa Lekota against President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he called a apartheid-era sellout, is part of an attempt to “desecrate the liberation struggle by portraying its leaders as a bunch of corrupt crooks”, a political expert has said. “The attacks against the ANC, in particular, would increase as the party was losing its status and legitimacy as a leader of society,” analyst Ralph Mathekga said. “Those who make these accusation are not held accountable because SA society is so gullible. We don’t put the burden on the accuser to provide proof of whatever claim he makes against another person,” Mathekga said. I say this because the special branch rewarded you and they sent you home and we headed to Robben Island,” Lekota said. He confirmed that indeed he was detained with Lekota and others but he never sold out. Another was by SACP deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila regarding late PAC leader Robert Sobukwe. He said it was premature to dismiss Lekota and to believe on Wednesday that Ramaphosa indeed was a sellout. But now that Ramaphosa had explained, Lekota needed to make peace with the fact that there was someone who sold out who was not Ramaphosa. In his response in parliament, Ramaphosa also referred to similar sellout accusations levelled against Nelson Mandela after he was moved to a prison house in Victor Verster, away from Robben Island.

Columnists We cannot escape the impact of decisions made by politicians on our daily lives. As the year unfolded, early optimism and admiration of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s New Dawn turned into knowing sighs and acceptance of the truth – there is no noteworthy change. As we head into a crucial election year, the dreadful reality is that the political parties who will be contending for our votes are found to be lacking and have exposed themselves as a bickering lot trying to outdo each other with their indignities. Crusader against corruption However, the EFF is experiencing far worse publicity. You might exclaim ‘Why bother to vote!’ since South Africa’s leaders are thoroughly accustomed to getting away with zero penalties for actions that have a damaging impact on society and the economy. Next year, go out to vote and remind politicians that power can be given and taken from them if it’s not used for the greater good – a united, growing South Africa. On the labour market South Africa’s economy has had another difficult year, with the recession and exposure to risk of being an emerging market in an unpredictable world economy. They are faced with high unemployment rates and low absorption and participation rates relative to adults. I hope their actions in 2019 prove the above statement wrong. * Stats SA’s Labour Market Dynamics in South Africa report, 2017

The second involves AfriForum and Parliament, over land. Given the strategists involved in the ANC nowadays, it is entirely possible that there was a little bit of orchestration with the timing of Pravin Gordhan’s decision to walk into a police station and lodge crimen injuria charges against Malema and the EFF. However, the risk AfriForum might take in the case is that while they may from time to time have legal victories, they will continue to lose on the politics of it. It is entire possible for some in the ANC to point fingers loudly at AfriForum, to turn the election into a poll about identity. This might actually suit AfriForum, because it would create a situation that strengthens their base. Meanwhile, while Gordhan may well be on stronger ground legally, Malema may also believe that he has much to gain from a legal process. To make matters more complicated for the EFF leader, he himself said on Monday that he would be instituting criminal charges against Gordhan. Which may mean the case can return almost at any moment. That is extremely difficult in a country with so many fringe players as in South Africa today. DM Support DAILY MAVERICK & get FREE UBER vouchers every month An increasingly rare commodity, quality independent journalism costs money, though not nearly as much as its absence can cost global community.

To Mama Graça Machel, members of the Mandela family, the Machel family, to President Ramaphosa who you can see is inspiring new hope in this great country -- (cheers and applause) -- professor, doctor, distinguished guests, to Mama Sisulu and the Sisulu family, to the people of South Africa -- (cheers and applause) -- it is a singular honor for me to be here with all of you as we gather to celebrate the birth and life of one of history's true giants. One hundred years ago, Madiba was born in the village of M -- oh, see there, I always get that -- (laughter) -- I got to get my Ms right when I'm in South Africa. And even in my own country, even in democracies like the United States, founded on a declaration that all men are created equal, racial segregation and systemic discrimination was the law in almost half the country and the norm throughout the rest of the country. And while globalization and technology have opened up new opportunities, have driven remarkable economic growth in previously struggling parts of the world, globalization has also upended the agricultural and manufacturing sectors in many countries. First, Madiba shows those of us who believe in freedom and democracy we are going to have to fight harder to reduce inequality and promote lasting economic opportunity for all people. It is a truth that lies at the heart of every world religion -- that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. That we see ourselves in other people. He said, "Democracy is based on the majority principle. And to make democracy work, Madiba shows us that we also have to keep teaching our children, and ourselves -- and this is really hard -- to engage with people not only who look different but who hold different views. They stand on the shoulders of those who came before, including that young black boy born 100 years ago, but they know that it is now their turn to do the work.

EPA-EFE/Siyabulela Duda/GCIS HANDOUT Saturday’s official funeral for the world to say a final farewell to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was always going to be a political affair, saying much about our politics of the day. But he may well have been upstaged by President Cyril Ramaphosa who has probably provided the best diagnosis of our problems yet delivered by a sitting politician. This is the kind of thing we have come to expect in our politics. In other words, this was, for almost everyone involved, a unique opportunity to make a point while reaching a previously impossible audience. In the end, many people were simply waiting for Julius Malema to speak. One must question why Malema used this stage to make this particular point. The people who attack them on Twitter did not do that, and have no experience or insight into what that must have been like. Ramaphosa was able to offer something very few politicians have given us recently: an accurate, thoughtful and caring diagnosis of our problems. Malema’s critics would no doubt suggest that it demonstrates that he can be relatively easily upstaged, that while his emotion, which is almost always anger, can be effective, the presentation of a thoughtful solution is also effective politics, especially in the long term. Ramaphosa is the man in charge, he is the one with real political power.

As the African National Congress (ANC) heads to its elective conference on 16 December, politics and religion have been talking points for the governing party as a whole, as well as it's current and possible future leadership. The past weekend, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa called for prayers ahead of the ANC elective conference at an address to congregants at the Shembe Church on the far north coast of KwaZulu-Natal. READ: Pray for me to succeed in ANC race: Ramaphosa In April, a team of religious leaders from the National Religious Leaders Council and the South African Council of Churches asked to meet with the ANC top 6. On the agenda between the councils and the governing party's top six, was President Jacob Zuma's leadership and the "crisis" the country was faced with. READ: Religious leaders to meet ANC top six over leadership crisis The influential South African Council of Churches warned corruption is turning South Africa into a "mafia state" under a government that intimidates whistleblowers. WATCH: Religious leaders call on Zuma to step down In December, President Jacob Zuma took a swipe at religious leaders on Sunday, telling them not to get involved in politics. What we’re really asking from church leaders is that they pray for us”. WATCH: President Zuma asks church goers to pray for the nation Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa led a National Day of Prayer in November calling on South Africans of all races and languages to unite. Police, however, have put their estimate at closer to 700,000. Farmer-turned-preacher Angus Buchan says he and his team organised the event in six weeks.