In the opinion pages today, Ferial Haffajee writes that President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot keep quiet about the Phala Phala farm robbery for much longer as his reputation takes a knock while Oscar van Heerden looks at the road ahead to the ANC national elective conference.
Ramaphosa can’t take ‘the fifth’ on Phala Phala for much longer – Daily Maverick
Ferial Haffajee writes President Cyril Ramaphosa is hurting his image and reputation by clamming up and not answering questions surrounding the Phala Phala farm robbery. There are still many details not known about the robbery that the president could do a great deal for himself in dealing with some of the damage done to his presidency by answering the unanswered.
Haffajee writes that opposition parties have used the Phala Phala scandal like a battering ram and agreed to table a motion of no confidence in the president at parliament. But Phala Phala is unlike other political scandals, no state money was plundered and wouldn’t a simple electronic transfer of funds have been better than stashing vast amounts of money on the farm? Read more here.
Oscar van Heerden | The road to Nasrec is paved with potholes – News24
Oscar van Heerden writes about the challenges facing Ramaphosa as he goes into the elective conference later this year, where he will seek re-election as ANC president.
Van Heerden notes that a lot of factors have cropped up over recent months, the Phala Phala farm scandal, the finalisation of the State Capture Report, and most recently an Ipsos poll pointing to a definite dip below 50% of the national vote for the ANC.
The writer lays out what will work in Ramaphosa’s favour and how he should leverage those points while also taking a look at what the Radical Economic Transformation faction will use against the president over the coming months. Read more here.
Here’s what else we’re reading:
Marikana: Unity will help with the healing – The Citizen (for subscribers)
EDITORIAL: Election polls come with health warning – Business Day (for subscribers)
NATASHA MARRIAN: Deadwood: The ANC’s NEC conundrum – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
MARC HASENFUSS: Blackmail at Richemont? Not so fast, Johann – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
Pieter du Toit | Coalitions of malice: We’re back in 2016 – but without the need for Bell Pottinger – News24 (for subscribers)
Melinda French Gates | For a prosperous future, look to the women – News24
Image Credit: GCIS
