In South Africa, the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has gathered members of its executive body for the past three days for heated debates on the future of education. While an internal ballot will soon take place, in mid-December, to determine who will lead the party in the national elections of 2024, the incumbent president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is increasingly contested, following his questioning in the Phala-Phala case, named after his farm where cash was stolen.
With our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargeles
The president did not say a word about it in his closing speech on Sunday evening, but the Phala-Phala scandal was on everyone’s lips during this major ANC meeting. The staunchest opponents of Cyril Ramaphosa demanded his withdrawal, while the party’s integrity commission has not yet issued its conclusions on this case.
Silence of the Head of State
The head of state, cantor of the fight against corruption, has so far remained very silent on the complaint filed in June 2022 by the former head of the intelligence services, who accuses him of having hidden a burglary in 2020 and a theft from his farm of several million dollars in cash.
However, Cyril Ramaphosa is not the only one targeted by an investigation by his party: one of his main competitors, the former Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, could also be put in difficulty, following suspicions of corruption in connection with the fight against Covid-19.
Still favorites
Despite these files and their fate still pending, the two men remain favorites for the moment, facing the two other declared candidates, Lindiwe Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who lack support within the regional branches.
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