South African President Cyril Ramaphosa rose to power five years ago pledging to pursue a policy of “radical economic transformation” and to stamp out corruption in the country’s politics. In his first speech after becoming the leader of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress in 2017, which preceded his accession to South Africa’s presidency the following year, he said that “corruption must be fought with the same intensity and purpose that we fight poverty, unemployment and inequality.” He further vowed to initiate his war on graft within the ANC’s ranks. But after more than four years in office as president of South Africa as well as the ANC, Ramaphosa’s anti-graft credentials have drawn a sizable number of critics. And a new corruption-related scandal dubbed “Farmgate” has created yet another political headache, half a year ahead of the biggest fight of Ramaphosa’s political life: This December, the ANC will host its national conference, which will determine his fate as the party’s president and, effectively, the country’s as well.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 28, 2022 07:17 UTC