A campaign for South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to retain the leadership of the ruling African National Congress when it holds internal elections in December is gathering momentum, with some key party officials throwing their weight behind him.
“There is an emerging consensus that the president must get a second term,” Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, who sits on the ANC’s national executive committee, said in an interview. “It will be good for stability of the country to have him continue.”
Lamola’s endorsement of the incumbent and those of ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile and leaders in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces preempts official nominations by party branches, which are only due to open in August, signaling their confidence he will win re-election. Lamola, who at 38 is the youngest member of Ramaphosa’s cabinet, indicated that he will run for the No. 2 party post if nominated. He could face off against incumbent David Mabuza, who is expected to seek re-election.
Ramaphosa will turn 70 in November, while all the other party’s top five officials are over 60. John Steenhuisen, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance is 45, and Julius Malema, who heads the Economic Freedom Fighters, the third-largest party, is 41. More than half of the country’s 60 million people are under the age of 30.
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