A little more than a month before the crucial deadline for the presidential election, former South African President Jacob Zuma charged on Sunday. Cyril Ramaphosa To “buy” the leadership of the ruling party, the ANC.
The African National Congress (ANC) meets in mid-December to choose whether or not to invest Cyril Ramaphosa as a candidate for a second term in the 2024 presidential election, re-electing him as party leader.
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“Cyril Ramaphosa is clearly accused of spending a lot of money to buy the presidency of the ANC”, Jacob Zuma began in front of many supporters in Durban (South-East). Danced on stage and shouted “Amandla!” (“Power!”), he accused the current head of state of “manipulating the democratic process”.
Jacob Zuma was embroiled in scandals
Funding for Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign for the leadership of the ANC in 2017 sparked controversy. He was specifically accused of lying to parliament about a 500,000 rand (about 28,000 euros) donation from an industry group.
Cyril Ramaphosa, 69, was finally acquitted by the Constitutional Court and took over the country after the resignation of scandal-plagued Jacob Zuma in 2018. Jacob Zuma, 80, who was sentenced to fifteen months in prison for refusing to answer to the Anti-Corruption Commission, completed his sentence last month. He was on parole for health reasons.
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His incarceration in July 2021 sparked a wave of deadly violence and looting in a difficult socio-economic environment.
Cyril Ramaphosa in turmoil
The former president, who is Cyril Ramaphosa’s biggest political rival, last month leveled allegations of violence against him.
Cyril Ramaphosa, elected on a promise to stamp out corruption, has been in turmoil for months. He is the target of an investigation surrounding a mysterious sum of money found when one of his properties was stolen.
An independent commission appointed by Parliament will deliver its findings next week. The results of the inquiry will lead to a possible vote in parliament to impeach Cyril Ramaphosa, who has denounced a political maneuver.