By: Sello Theletsane
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign is allegedly in tatters after a plot against ANC presidential hopefuls Zweli Mkhize and Lindiwe Sisulu failed dismally.
With the ANC elective conference a few days away, it is alleged Ramaphosa has reportedly lost a massive ground against Mkhize, and the last gambit was a hope that Sisulu and Mkhize would vote for the adoption of the Section 89 panel report in Parliament on Tuesday. However, the duo abstained.
According to highly-placed sources, the plan allegedly hatched by Ramaphosa’s henchmen, minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, Derek Hanekom, and ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe hit a brick wall in Parliament when Sisulu and Mkhize did not show up for the voting on the Section 89 panel report. With the ANC holding a majority in parliament, the voting was symbolic. The great plot was to get Mkhize and Sisulu to walk into “a trap” of voting in favour of the adoption of the report, and then immediately suspend them so that they could not take part in the ANC’s elective conference.
It is alleged that Sisulu abstained because she refused to violate the constitution, as she also refused to conform to the wrongdoing of the ANC, which was forcefully pushed down ANC MPs’ throats. Sources say the Presidency even sent questions to Sisulu, asking her about the activities from her previous portfolios, claiming that the questions were from the Office of the Public Protector, to which Sisulu easily responded.
Sources further revealed that the drama started unfolding last week during a heated NEC meeting where Mkhize openly challenged Mantashe in a confrontation that nearly burst into a fistfight on the same badly handled Phala-Phala report.
According to sources, Mkhize had to remind Mantashe how to relate to women when the latter was allegedly abusing his position, targeting both Sisulu and Dlamini Zuma. Sisulu still held on to her position that the ANC had nothing to do with Phala-Phala. In her view, this was a matter between law enforcement agencies and Ramaphosa, as he is the one who violated and betrayed the constitution. Sisulu maintains that Ramaphosa is the sole beneficiary of the money on his farm, not the ANC.
Following Mkhize’s media interviews and the NEC’s hard position that Ramaphosa must be held to account, Gungubele, Hanekom, and Mantashe thought that they would trap Mkhize and Sisulu during the Parliamentary vote on Tuesday. It is alleged that a well-known Ramaphosa-aligned law firm was asked to draft suspension letters on behalf of the national disciplinary committee (NDC) for the two, including a suspension letter from the ANC. The letters were drafted to immediately kick off the process of a rushed-up disciplinary hearing before the conference commences. Sources say ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile was on standby since he had to effect the suspension letters from the Secretary General’s Office (SGO) to pave his way by punishing the Sisulu and Mkhize before the upcoming conference.
“Paul is known to be hatching a plan to contest Ramaphosa from the floor, hence he always neutralises Mkhize by keeping him closer to dislodge him inside the conference,” said the source. He added that the NDC members were asked to be on standby to precisely manage the Sisulu and Mkhize matter, as the duo stood between Ramaphosa and the second term. It is alleged the two were to be served with their suspension letters at a promptly arranged NEC meeting on Wednesday, however, this plan was derailed after Sisulu and Mkhize received a tip-off and abstained from voting in Parliament, resulting in the cancelation of the planned NEC meeting. They (Sisulu and Mkhize) were tipped off that they were the targets for suspension before the conference. “This is as a consequence of panic and signs of desperation from Ramaphosa camp. They can see the writing is on the wall. It is Sisulu and Mkhize’s combination that gives them sleepless nights. This is because the majority of them are going to jail come February next year, ” said the source.
Added the source: “Mkhize and Sisulu adopted a strategic ambiguity to confuse and derail the plan of Mantashe. What stands between Ramaphosa and second term is Mkhize and Sisulu. Voting to adopt the report by these two comrades was going to be interpreted as defying the party line. The consequence of suspension from the party and therefore disqualification from standing for elective offices was the only hope for Ramaphosa camp. There is rationality to this apparent chickening out by Mkhize and Sisulu, notwithstanding Sisulu’s intelligence background, which came in handy.”
The sources said Mkhize and Sisulu’s position is known and clear – they support the Section 89 panel report and have called on Ramaphosa to subject himself fully to the process.
In his interview with Professor Seepe and other radio stations, Mkhize has made it clear that he supports the protection of the constitution and the establishment of the impeachment inquiry. Sisulu on the other hand recently told the BBC news station that Ramaphosa had to stop soiling the good name of the ANC. It is unclear what action is being planned against Dlamini-Zuma who voted in favour of the adoption of the Section 89 panel report. Africa News Global has been reliably informed that Dlamini-Zuma might escape sanction as she is viewed as not having enough support to unseat Ramaphosa at the conference which kicks off on Friday
An NEC member who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Under the Ramaphosa presidency, the NDC and ANC structures have operated like the Sicilian Mafia, a gang of thugs. They are a law unto themselves. Once they make up their minds that you must be dealt with, they deal with you ruthlessly.” The NEC member said it was mostly Mantashe “who doesn’t even have struggle credentials who is threatened by authentic liberation struggle leaders of the ANC.”
Buffalo onkole strong