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ANC succession battle hots up as Cosatu backs Ramaphosa

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 Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Alet Pretorius
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Alet Pretorius

Cosatu has officially given deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa the nod to succeed Jacob Zuma.

The trade union federation made the pronouncement this morning after an “intense and robust” three-day central executive committee meeting that ended yesterday.

The federation believed Ramaphosa was the right leader to lead the ANC out of its current political gridlock and into the future.

This came as the ANC warned Cosatu it had no right to discuss to comment on the ANC’s succession debate, pointing out that it also never dictated to its ally.

“The [central executive committee] resolved to support and lobby for the deputy president of the ANC, comrade Cyril Ramaphosa to take over the reins as the next president of the ANC,” said Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali.

Ntshalintshali said the federation was mindful of the fact that it was not a voting structure of the ANC but that “we represent workers who are members and supporters of the ANC”.

Cosatu would also support the proposal that the ANC should explore the possibility of avoiding slates and contestation in its elective conference next December.

It would also lobby and influence the ANC structures to support Ramaphosa as well as to ensure that he had the right calibre of leaders working with him to, among others, intensify the fight against corruption and advance the issues of workers and the poor.

Hlengiwe Nhlabathi
Political journalist
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: Hlengiwe.Nhlabathi@citypress.co.za
      
 
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