ANC LEADER ELECTIONS
Chaos in ANC could enable Zuma to intervene as arbiter
Zuma as arbiter in the upcoming stalemate would be an ideal position, which he will no doubt use to his advantage
Jacob Zuma’s days in power are counted. This is the dominant view, but could it be wrong? On Wednesday last week, Business Day reported that at a November 27 gathering of the ANC candidates to succeed him, Zuma presented himself as unifier against a possible party split. He appeared to reposition himself from being a backer of former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
One possible cause of this development may be the realisation by Zuma that Dlamini-Zuma may lose, having failed to escape the label of Manchurian candidate for an unpopular president. In this scenario, departure from power carries high risks for him: criminal prosecution for corruption, investigation of state capture. Another possible cause is that Zuma never expected a Dlamini-Zuma win. In this scenario, she is a foil against his adversaries, affording him space to consolidate government control. Zuma can rise as arbiter of the leadership contest, the unifier against a split and certain defeat in 2019. Zuma would fare...
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