It’s time to bury the myth of the great power and influence that former president Jacob Zuma and his radical economic transformation (RET) faction wield.
For five years many of us, from President Cyril Ramaphosa down to ordinary South Africans, have believed this faction is so powerful within the ANC — and that it has such potential to stop crucial political and economic reforms — that we have found ourselves petrified by it.
Right from his swearing in as president in February 2018, Ramaphosa has trod gently around the leading lights of the RET faction. While they schemed behind him, insulted him and made a fool of him, he gave them cabinet positions, listened to them when they whinged and whined, and didn’t fire them when they failed to deliver on their mandates.
His reason? The faction was still powerful, even though it had lost at the ANC elective conference in December 2017.
One of the key tactics of mythmaking is to terrify your opponents into believing your powers are much greater than they actually are. Tell this lie of omnipotence as often as possible, and soon enough, people will begin to believe it.
And so it was with the RET faction. As soon as it was defeated in 2017, it began inflating itself, beating the drum of its own power and significance.
Zuma was a real freedom fighter, we were told, who had led the struggle against apartheid from outside the country. He, and no-one else, knew the needs and hearts of black people.
Ramaphosa and his supporters — many of whom had fought valiantly against apartheid, both from within and outside South Africa — were vilified as sell-outs, spies and lackeys of capitalists.
While Ramaphosa ran around trying to appease this faction, Ace Magashule, the Zuma-supporting then ANC secretary-general, told a crowd in KwaZulu-Natal that his faction would be returned to power.
Because of the hysteria the RET faction fuelled — and that many among us believed — the rand took a knock and sentiment about South Africa’s prospects took a hugely negative turn
“It’s just a matter of five years, comrades. Mayibuye iANC that we know,” he said.
It was all a myth. Last weekend, Ramaphosa defeated this grouping at the ANC’s special national executive committee (NEC) meeting to discuss the Phala Phala saga.
Ahead of the meeting, the faction’s Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma had loudly proclaimed that Ramaphosa should step down. Her fellow fighter, tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu — who often calls for the constitution she serves to be torn up — jumped on that same bandwagon. Full of vim and vigour, they rushed to the ANC national working committee (NWC) and NEC meetings, acting as if they would deliver Ramaphosa’s head on a platter.
On social media, the thousands of faceless, pro-RET, paid propaganda accounts spread wild rumours about Ramaphosa’s imminent fall. Opposition party leaders in the EFF and the African Transformation Movement joined in loudly.
Last week, based on their combined noise, it looked to be curtains for Ramaphosa.
Because of the hysteria the RET faction fuelled — and that many among us believed — the rand took a knock and sentiment about South Africa’s prospects took a hugely negative turn.
Again, it was all a lie.
Ramaphosa’s winning streak
In the NWC, Ramaphosa won the debates easily. Of the committee’s 25 members (excluding Ramaphosa), at least 16 were ready to vote for him to stay.
At the NEC meeting the next day, at least 60 of the 110 members were set to vote in Ramaphosa’s favour. The rest weren’t all RET members, some were merely split on how to ethically and morally justify the Phala Phala dollars hidden in couch cushions.
The RET faction has lost consistently since February 2018. At virtually every NEC meeting it tries to unseat Ramaphosa — and fails.
It is clear that, unless something dramatic happens, it will fail again at the ANC national elective conference next week. Ramaphosa will win the ANC presidency by a greater margin than he did in December 2017.
We have been scared into believing the RET crowd will dominate the NEC. But nothing in the run-up to the conference and the branch nominations indicate an RET win. Sure, some very compromised individuals will make it onto that body, but even those will be mostly Ramaphosa supporters.
Zuma’s people are weak and they keep losing. Ramaphosa needs to use that knowledge now to run the country instead of being apologetic about his authority.
These Zuma-ites make a lot of noise, but they have no bite.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.