Durban - The unprecedented public criticism by three former presidents directed at the sitting head of state demonstrates the level of the rot in public office, and discontent this has brought both within and outside the ANC.
This is the observation from analysts after former presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership on different public platforms at the weekend.
Yesterday the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal expressed concern about public spats in the media involving ANC leaders, saying it had noted a very strange occurrence wherein the leaders are attacking the sitting ANC president Ramaphosa and the ANC publicly.
“Clearly, such an exercise is eroding the standing of the organisation in society. Whilst we respect their rights, as enshrined in the Constitution, of the freedom of speech, we respectfully request our leaders to exercise restraint,” said provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo.
The KZN leadership called on its leaders to use the right channels to raise their frustration instead of attacking the ruling party, its government and its leadership in public. He called for respect of the principle of the presumption of innocence until found guilty by a court of law. “No court of law has found Zuma corrupt for his involvement in the arms deal. Equally, no court of law has found President Ramaphosa corrupt in Phala Phala. Such matters are being processed by relevant authorities,” Mtolo said.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu pointed to the recent resignation of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who acknowledged failing to deliver her mandate, as an example Ramaphosa should consider over alleged corruption, especially after promising clean governance when assuming top office in 2018.
Regarding the Phala Phala matter, he said: “For someone who climbed the leadership ladder on the ticket of fighting corruption, this is worrying. This more so when considering that he did not pronounce on the matter voluntarily but reacted when Arthur Fraser brought the matter before the public.”
His sentiments were echoed by another political analyst Thabani Khumalo who said the criticism of Ramaphosa presented a massive challenge to the ANC’s rank and file.
He reflected on the scandals that had faced the ANC in government and how ruling party members had often cushioned the sitting head of state when facing calls to step down.
“The current problems for South Africa are the creation of the ANC which has given its leaders free reign on public resources, without holding them accountable.
“The ANC’s rank and file should introspect because all principled individuals were pushed out of government and that is why we are here,” Khumalo concluded.