POWER POLITICS
JONNY STEINBERG: ANC two-horse race may be a phantasm
"A third candidate could emerge and the whole egg would be rescrambled — new alliances, new policies, new enemies"
After last week’s no-confidence vote in Parliament, a line of analysis has emerged in this newspaper and in others. The closeness of the vote has revealed that the ANC is destined to split, it is said. Those committed to SA’s Constitution are on one side, those who put party above country are on the other. Breaking away will be hugely difficult for either, so the argument goes, but the differences cannot be bridged and the split is bound to come. With great respect and in the best spirit, I am not sure that is right. It appears to be an analysis born of hope instead of sobriety. The hope is that if the ANC can be divided into good and bad, the bad will conveniently self-destruct, leaving the rest of us to a new beginning. We are dreaming we can have our cake and eat it; that if Cyril Ramaphosa wins in December, things will turn out well. And that if Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma wins in December, things will also turn out well, because following her victory, the good ANC will break away, l...
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.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.