South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 22 August 2022 07/06/2018 Kopano Tlape GCIS
‘Ramaphosa good as gone’ – ANC MP Mervyn Dirks
“Clever blacks must start getting used to addressing Ramaphosa as former president,” Mervyn Dirks said on Saturday
South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 22 August 2022 07/06/2018 Kopano Tlape GCIS
The African National Congress (ANC) National Conference just got more interesting, if what MP Mervyn Dirks has said is anything to go by. According to IOL, both the North West and Limpopo have opted to throw their weight behind former minister Zweli Mkhize and not the incumbent, Cyril Ramaphosa.
As if that wasn’t enough, Dirks claims the Northern Cape had its caucus earlier on Saturday afternoon, 17 December 2022, and decided not to back Ramaphosa for the party’s top post.
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According to IOL, discussions between the North West and Limpopo were held on Friday evening, 16 December 2022, and it was decided that Zweli Mkhize was the right person to lead the ANC as things have gotten worse under Cyril Ramaphosa.
The publication has cited a well placed source within the ANC.
“As the North West we had not pronounced on the preferred presidential candidate, only on the deputy where we endorsed Paul Mashatile. We gave the current leadership a chance and we have seen that they have no programmes, state enterprises are in tatters and have no plans on how to grow the economy and take our people out of poverty. Therefore, the delegates and leaders have taken a posture to support Mkhize,” the source is quoted as having said.
Mervyn Dirks claim also hasn’t been confirmed either. Dirks is no fan of Ramaphosa, being one of the only five ANC MPs who voted for the adoption of the Section 89 report on the Phala Phala scandal.
Dirks was temporarily given the boot over his calls for Ramaphosa to answer to allegations of the misappropriation of state funds. This stems from a leaked audio recording where Ramaphosa seemingly admits to knowing about public funds being used for ANC campaigns.
