South – African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been re – elected leader of governing African National Congress ( ANC ) at the party’s 55th National Leadership Elective Conference held yesterday in the Nation’s Capital. At the end of voting by the delegates, Ramaphosa defeated his rival former Health minister, Zweli Mkhize by 2,476 votes to 1,897. His victory put him in pole position to lead the ANC in the 2024 election to seek re- election for a second term in office. The result saw him win by a bigger margin than when he first ran for the leadership of the governing party ANC in 2017. It will be recalled that last week, Cyril Ramaphosa survived a move to start impeachment proceeding against him in a vote in parliament. The African National Congress ANC Parliamentary Caucus largely voted to block an investigation into an ongoing scandal, after initial evidence found Ramaphosa could have violated his oath of office. The findings related to the theft of more than five hundred thousand dollars in cash from the South – African leader’s private game farm in 2020. The cash was stuffed inside a leather sofa, according to the panel investigation. The panel led by retired Justice Sandile Ngcobo, found that the crime was not reported to the police and that there was a deliberate decision to keep the investigation secret and found that the President violated sections 96(2)a) of the Constitution and section 34 (1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act after initial speculation that he would resign, Ramaphosa’s lawyers sought to challenge the panel findings in court. The president has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying the money was from the sale of wide life at his phala phala farm. Cyril Ramaphosa was first confirmed as South – African President in 2018 after his predecessor, a scandal – plague Jacob Zuma was effectively pushed out of office by his own party. He made his name as a trade union during the apartheid era and as the chief negotiator for Nelson Mandela, helping to guide South – Africa out of white minority rule in 1990s. Mandela made it clear he wanted Ramaphosa to replace him after his presidency ended. But Ramaphosa lost the race to Thabo Mbeki another anti – apartheid leader who came back to South – Africa after he lived in exile.
Cyril Ramaphosa re – elected as leader of South – Africa’s governing African National Congress
