JOHANNESBIRG: South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party on Monday re-elected the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa as the party leader for a second five-year term, despite a huge cash theft scandal at his farm.
President Ramaphosa garnered 2,476 votes for the post of party chief against 1,897 for the country’s former health minister Zweli Mkhize, the ANC’s elections chief, Kgalema Motlanthe, announced on Monday.
“It is a positive outcome not only for the ruling party but also a good outcome for the country,” President Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya told the media.
“The president is quite energized,” the spokesman added.
Ramaphosa’s comfortable win opens the way for him for a second term as South African president if the ANC wins the next general elections in 2024.
According to South Africa’s constitution, the head of state is elected by parliament.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s re-election
More than 4,300 delegates, gathered near Johannesburg at a conference, cast their ballots on Sunday to appoint top officials, including party chief, secretary general, deputy president, and chairperson.
The ANC party’s former treasurer, Paul Mashatile, emerged as deputy president.
Most of the delegates celebrated, standing on chairs, clapping hands, and chanting when the electoral body announced the results.
Ramaphosa’s opponent Zweli Mkhize walked up to the stage and congratulated Ramaphosa on his victory. Both the leaders hugged and shook hands to renew their commitment to the country’s development.
Ramaphosa won the contest despite being mired in allegations that he concealed the burglary of a considerable amount of cash at his upmarket cattle farm, a brewing scandal.
As the country’s vice president, Ramaphosa ascended to the ANC party’s top job in December 2017 as his boss, Jacob Zuma battled a soaring corruption scandal.
The following February, Jacob Zuma was forced out by the ANC from his post.
Ramaphosa took office as the ANC’s chief vowing to renew the party and weed out endemic corruption.
But his clean-hands image has been affected by the burglary scandal related to his cattle farm.
The affair has raised questions about why he owned so much cash and why he failed to report the theft to the concerned authorities. – AFP/APP
