Life Goes On in South Africa

NASREC 2017
The ANC went to its 54th national conference in the midst of prophecies that the meeting would collapse into chaos. This according to critics, would be the end of the ANC.

Critics were right in their predictions. The organisation was going through a rough patch with divisions and tensions tearing it and its Alliance partners of SACP and COSATU asunder. The leadership contest was acrimonious and even violent. Major contenders, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa were not prepared to compromise or back down. It was an all or nothing, winner takes all  contest.

Conference sat and completed its business of electing leadership and adopting radical resolutions. The much anticipated implosion never happened.

UNITY MAQABANE
Unity Maqabane wasn't only a favourite song with conference delegates at Nasrec, it also reflected in the leadership that emerged at completion of business. Conference  acomodated the two major slates, of Dr Dlamini Zuma and Ramaphosa, in equal measure.

ZUMA GOES
The first challenge to Ramaphosa as the new ANC president would always be how to deal with the out of favour President Jacob Zuma. Would he allow him to see the reminder of his term out, would he be forced to take an early shower to allow the new party leader to ease himself in ahead of the 2019 general elections.

On the fate of Zuma, Ramaphosa was under pressure from his supporters, inside and outsided the ANC, to get rid of him.

In the end Zuma was forced out. As if his forced resignation was not enough, Zuma had corruption  charges against him reinstated. Would the ANC know peace and prosperity after these twin treatments against its former president!

To Be Continued.