After the loss of Kgalema Motlanthe on his bid for ANC presidency, the news spread like wildfire that he will resign as the country's Deputy President. This prompted ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu to verify such rumours with the Deputy President and his response was "where do they (journalists) get such horror stories?'.
There has been quite a marathon of odd statements in reaction to president Zuma's re-election to the helm of the ANC in Mangaung. One article that tops them all was penned by Dr Mamphela Ramphele in the "Sunday Independent" of 23 December entitled, "Zuma's ANC threatens Madiba's ideals". Before Ramphele's piece there was a statement by Helen Zille; watering down the re-election of President Jacob Zuma saying "Zuma win is not good for SA". Ironically the statement contains some quivering congratulations that say "while personal congratulations to the winner of an election are always in order, the re-election of Jacob Zuma as President of the ANC is not good news for South Africa".
But if you thought that was self-contradictory and absurd enough, wait until you hear the statement by Reverend Meshoe entitled; "Zuma's re-election is both good and bad news for SA". Then this one by General Bantu Holomisa takes the trophy; ‘Cyril must build his own base, because the Zuma camp wants Nkosazana Zuma as president". Need I say more? I guess its befitting to exclaim "all hail the General!" After all this is the man who established a "permanent base" in the UDM by being the Alpha and Omega of its leadership so far.
But the General would do well not to go on dishing out advice even where they were not sought after. Did the General hear Ramaphosa saying he aspires for the top job in the ANC?
However, I have taken keen interest in Dr Ramphele's article as it represents all the annoyance, perplexity and disgusts that have accompanied the Zuma victory in the opposition and elite circles. The elite in South Africa still cannot fathom how a man from humble rural beginnings of Nkandla, with lack of formal education has out-manoeuvred all the sophisticated opponents to be at helm of South Africa's governing party twice?
Somewhat a suffocating discourse is emerging that the current ANC betrays Mandela's legacy. This was all fine if it came from Helen Zille who in anyway has no link with Mandela's name; but for a person who serves in the board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation like Dr Mamphele Ramphele to lead such a distortion; it's treacherous to say the least.