confidentially speaking
The Africa Confidential Blog
Cyril to centre stage
Blue Lines
It’s official: it started with a pain in the neck at the National
Executive Committee meeting of the African National Congress. That is Jacob Zuma’s neck and the pain was
severe enough for his fellow NEC members to send him to hospital. ANC
Secretary General Gwede Mantashe
insists that President Zuma was merely tired and will deliver the state
of the nation address on 17 June. By then, Cyril Ramaphosa will have chalked up
some appearances on Zuma’s behalf. This week he chaired the cabinet lekgotla (big meeting) which is
meant to map out the government’s plans.
Ramaphosa will also be leader of government business in Parliament and
we hear he will chair the National Planning Commission after the
departure of Trevor Manuel.
With Zuma resting up before he faces renewed questioning over state
spending on his Nkandla homestead and the latest probe into the US$6
billion arms deal, this looks strikingly like power seeping across to
Deputy Ramaphosa. If so, it will be a tough initiation, even for this
veteran union leader. Although there was meant to be consensus about
the pro-market policies in the National Development Plan, companies
were puzzled to hear the ANC announce last week that its election
victory was a mandate for radical economic transformation. That sounds
scary to business, especially when growth is slowing and the platinum
mine workers are still striking. Comrade Cyril can expect more calls
from his old friends in the corporate world.
