Ramaphosa to stand for another term at ANC conference
It seems the president has found the appetite to fight back on the Phala Phala saga
President Cyril Ramaphosa has advised his confidants that he has changed his mind and will not resign, according to people familiar with the matter.
According to two senior ANC politicians, he will also stand for another term as party head at the party’s elective conference, which starts on December 16.
This indicates that Ramaphosa has the appetite to fight back after an independent panel, headed by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, released its report on the Phala Phala matter on Wednesday.
Ramaphosa also intends to take the Ngcobo report on legal review, with legal experts arguing that there is a chance it could be set aside.
It has been a tense few days for South Africa after it emerged on Thursday that Ramaphosa intended to resign.
Some of his cabinet colleagues and provincial supporters gathered and persuaded him not to quit. They urged him to fight on, arguing that his departure would be damaging for the country.
The ANC national working committee is due to meet at 2pm on Sunday. Ramaphosa’s backers are concerned that they might have a tough time at the national executive committee meeting on Monday.
They are also preparing for a possible parliamentary debate on December 6, meant to look into the panel’s report. It is unclear when Ramaphosa intends to launch his legal review of the report, but it is likely to have an impact on whether the debate goes ahead.