Sawt Falasteen - S.Africa's Ramaphosa favourite to keep ANC leadership despite scandal

In a long opening speech, exuding confidence and authority amid chants and heckling from a few delegates, Ramaphosa chronicled his government's challenges and achievements over the past five years.

"The levels of poverty continue to give rise to a sense of hopelessness amongst our people," he told some 4,500 African National Congress (ANC) delegates at an events centre near Johannesburg.

But as he eyes a new term at the top of the ANC, he sounded a note of hope saying "greenshoots are starting to sprout, I do believe better days lie ahead".

Ramaphosa is the favourite to continue leading the storied party which is battling rifts and declining support after 28 years in power.

Portraying himself as a graft-busting champion, Ramaphosa took control of the ANC in 2017 after his boss Jacob Zuma became mired in corruption.

The party's majority in parliament means that it also has control over the process to approve the national president.

But Ramaphosa's clean-hands image has been dented by allegations he concealed a huge cash burglary at his farm rather than report the matter to the authorities.

Despite this, the 70-year-old leader appears on track to win the party leadership election, expected to take place among delegates on Saturday.

A small group of heckling delegates tried to disrupt his address, chanting "Change! Change!" while also banging on their tables.

He continued to speak, warning, "This is not the time to come and display this type of disorderly behaviour."

The start of the conference was several hours behind schedule, but a party official said, despite the delay, voting would be on time.

- 'Fix corruption' -

ANC member Tumi Mogotla, 37, a street vendor selling ANC paraphernalia on the fringes of the conference, said he believes Ramaphosa deserves a second term

"I believe he is the best person to fix corruption in the country," said Mogotla, stodd next to shirts, hats and flags in ANC colours.

But Thami Chamane, 30, unemployed, and one of the delegates disrupting the speech, wanted Ramaphosa to "step aside" over the farm scandal.

Outside the venue, a group of delegates chanted that Ramaphosa should leave the presidency over the farmgate scandal. They also sang a pro-Zuma song.

On the eve of the conference Zuma announced he was seeking to bring a prosecution against Ramaphosa over a leaked medical report linked to a 1990s arms corruption trial.

But the action is unlikely to hamper Ramaphosa's chances of securing a second term as ANC leader.

A victory would secure him a ticket to a fresh term as president after the 2024 elections, if his party wins that vote.

Ramaphosa won a reprieve ahead of the conference when the ANC used its majority in parliament to block a possible impeachment inquiry.

He is leading the list of only two nominated presidential candidates so far and is seen to be the most viable in the absence of better options in the 110-year-old party.

- Declining vote share -

The ex-trade unionist fronted the historic negotiations to end apartheid and helped draft the constitution -- hailed as one of Africa's most progressive charters.

Dodging the impeachment bullet likely emboldened his re-election bid, analysts say.

His rival is his former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who is facing corruption allegations linked to Covid-19 funds.

The venerable party was shaped by Nelson Mandela into the main weapon that ended apartheid.

But its image today is stained by corruption and factionalism.

Over the past decade, the party has lost its grip over key cities in municipal elections.

On a national level, the ANC won the 2019 election with 57.5 percent of the vote, down from 62.15 percent in 2014.

But it remains South Africa's largest party.

Whoever emerges victorious in the vote will have to defuse anger at crippling power cuts and entrenched poverty.

E.Qaddoumi--SF-PST