Pretoria – ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe says embattled President Cyril Ramaphosa is not someone who would cling to power amidst calls for him to resign, but clearing his name by taking the Phala Phala report on review would be the right thing to do.
Speculation has been rife that Ramaphosa would quit the top Union Building job, after a panel chaired by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo found that the head of State had a case to answer in relation to Phala Phala.
In the report released on Wednesday evening, the panel found that Ramaphosa violated a number of laws.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, ahead of an explosive special ANC national executive committee meeting on Friday, Mantashe said his personal advice to Ramaphosa would be – stay on and fight.
“I think I know President Ramaphosa for quite some time now. One of the things he hates is to get into a noisy space. He would easily take that decision (to resign), but the decision to give the report space to be interrogated, to be tested is the most correct one. I am one of the people who believe that if you are accused, (you have )the right to defend that space, take that report on review, I believe in that,” said Mantashe.
“My own view is that it would be the most premature decision for President Ramaphosa to just step down, prematurely, without due process.”
He said the step aside policy of the of the ANC had become the “most abused and most vulgarized” regulation within the ruling party.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of the disbanded Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), Carl Niehaus, said Ramaphosa should not be allowed inside the venue of the 55th ANC National Conference, set for Nasrec from December 16 to the 18th.
In light of the findings of the Section 89 inquiry, the outspoken Niehaus has called for Ramaphosa to be prevented from taking part in the upcoming 55th ANC conference, adding that Ramaphosa had, through the step aside rule, targeted his enemies and should thus get a taste of his own medicine.
At the conference, Ramaphosa will be challenged by Dr Zweli Mkhize, among others, for the position of ANC president.
