PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
STEVEN FRIEDMAN: Ramaphosa ‘infidelity’ reports serve clique, not public
‘The ‘selfless’ warriors are trying to fight political battles or boost sales — they are not looking out for the rest of us’
We know that we are being taken for a ride when reporting the dirt some politicians have on others is trumpeted as an act of public-spirited courage. Media reports on the alleged affairs of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa are a political nonevent. They will have no bearing on the ANC presidency race because the South African debate does not see marital fidelity as a requirement for public office — no one here has lost a political job due to infidelity to a partner. Nor is any great principle at stake. Ramaphosa was unwise to try stopping publication, particularly since the reports will not affect his political future. But democracy’s prospects will not be affected by whether papers are allowed to publish claims about presidential hopefuls’ private lives. So why did the reports appear? Firstly, despite evidence to the contrary, some people hope they will influence the ANC presidential contest. They are also another of those diversions that delight some drivers of the public debate b...
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