Will the Real Ramaphosa Please Rise!

Riyaz Patel

At the end of his historic presidential term in the 90s, Nelson Mandela, against his own judgment, bowed to internal ANC pressure and anointed Thabo Mbeki as his successor rather than Cyril Ramaphosa, who withdrew from active political life and began carving out his business empire.

Ramaphosa made a stunning comeback into the political arena in December 2012 when he was elected ANC Deputy President in Mangaung, garnering more votes for the position of deputy president than Zuma mustered for president. In 2014, he was appointed Deputy President of South Africa.

His detractors were quick to point out his deafening silence while the country was being plundered. Supporters argue he was biding his time before moving against Zuma at the ANC’s conference in 2017, and was vintage Ramaphosa: Persuasive, patient, ruthless when necessary.