Let’s Talk Leadership
Identifying progressive and innovative black leadership globally can be difficult when looking through the lens of the people who want to keep those figures out of your sight and consciousness. The African diaspora has redistributed knowledge and thought leaders who have worked in the interest of the global African but have seen little public support from places outside of their home regions. BBM Publishing House is not a platform that idolizes political practitioners but we understand the importance of having adequate leadership in the global community. This series will include short think pieces and essays on world leaders, thought leaders from Africa and beyond who are forging changes in the judicial system through economic reformation, and political transformation.
Do you know many of the leaders of the world?
In particular, do you know those who lead countries in Africa who are on the verge of an innovation renaissance and political transformation?
Our goal here at BBM Publishing House is to create a dialogue that pushes our global community forward. We are here to showcase those who are making active changes to the society they live in and the paradigm we have been forced to live under.
As many of the African nations prepare for their long-awaited elections, particularly South Africa in May, it is time we as a global community get to know some of the leaders that will be governing within the continent. Let us celebrate Black History month by highlighting the stories of the leadership in Africa at this moment.
Leadership/Politics Profile: Achieving Black History- Cyril Ramaphosa of The African National Congress (ANC)
Cyril Ramaphosa has the unenviable task of lifting the African National Congress (ANC) from it’s lowest point since South Africa’s independence In 1994. Ramaphosa was raised to the rank of Deputy President to bring a modicum of stability during Jacob Zuma ’ s final years in the presidency. He was eventually thrust forward to the position of President due to Zuma’s early exit.
Cyril Ramaphosa the struggle veteran and businessman
Cyril Ramaphosa was a political activist during South Africa’s apartheid. He was a founding member and respected union leader at the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from which he later joined the ANC. During his tenure at the liberation party, he became a key member of the ANC and became part of the group entrusted with the negotiations that ended apartheid. For all the work he had done for the unions and the party he garnered a lot of respect and clout. For these reasons he was in the running to be Nelson Mandela ’ s vice president, that position eventually went to Thabo Mbeki.
Soon after the first democratic elections in South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa withdrew from politics and went into business. Through his investment arm the Shanduka Group, he was able to get huge deals thanks to the new government’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) drive. The Shanduka Group has interests in mining, telecoms, retail, banking, and many other economic sectors. His net worth is estimated at over R6 billion. He has also held executive positions in multiple blue-chip companies.
Cyril Ramaphosa and the Marikana Massacre
Cyril Ramaphosa was one of the biggest benefactors of BEE and to some that made him a “sellout”. His proponents believed he had shed his pro-union, pro-labor, and socialist beliefs just to make money. The belief that he had changed for the worse was embodied in the position he took during the Marikana Massacre.
Marikana is a mining community located near Rustenburg. In August 2012, the miners went on a wildcats strike demanding better wages and living conditions from the platinum mine owned by Lonmin. The Lonmin management made a call to one of the directors of the mine, Cyril Ramaphosa. They asked Ramaphosa to use his influence to squash the Marikana protests and Ramaphosa agreed. The hard-line stance by the company and government saw protesters being shot with live ammunition in full view of South Africa. Nobody had seen such heavy-handed tactics by the government since Apartheid, 34 protesters were killed and 78 were injured that day. Cyril Ramaphosa ’ s position against the protesters was exposed and criticized, he immediately apologized. It has become the biggest stain on his character and opposition parties have never let him forget it.
The fall of Zuma and the rise of Ramaphosa
Throughout his tenure as President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma faced a lot of scrutiny from the media and opposition parties over his management of government affairs. They continuously accused Zuma of corruption, mismanagement, and weakening of institutions. Opposition parties and civic groups took Zuma and his administration to court and won landmark decisions. One of the biggest criticisms against Zuma was his relationship with the Guptas. The Guptas are an Indian family with huge investments across South Africa’s economic sectors. They and Zuma stand accused of trying to loot government coffers. As the allegations against Zuma piled up, the ANC defended him vigorously. To add fire to the flame, the economic growth slowed to anemic levels under Zuma’s watch. When Zuma was initially elected as President of South Africa in the 2009 general election, the ANC garnered 66% of the vote; In the 2014 general election the party got 62% of the vote; in the 2016 municipal elections, the ANC only garnered 56% of the vote. Zuma, and by association the ANC, was losing popularity among voters. South Africa and the ANC needed a new leader.
Despite the Marikana controversy, the unions (including NUM) backed Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid for President. At the ANC Elective Conference held in December 2017, he was duly elected as President of the ANC and its candidate for South African President for the elections due in 2019. He was called to lead the party and the country earlier than planned, when the then President of South Africa was asked to step down in February 2018. Jacob Zuma had become an unbearably unpopular President and was seen to be a risk to both country and party.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
After Zuma’s departure from the presidency, Cyril Ramaphosa found himself leading a nation that no longer had faith or enthusiasm for the ANC. If his party was to make any headway in the coming elections, he had to turn that around quickly. His drive to bring the ANC back to the people and to center it around the ethos of service was embodied in his Thuma Mina (Send Me) Campaign. It involved Ramaphosa going door to door to meet with constituents, participating in social events, social investment, tackling youth unemployment and attracting foreign direct investment.
Despite his efforts, the elephant in the room has always been corruption. Every politician has talked tough on corruption but none has really tackled it head-on. Cyril Ramaphosa did not have that luxury, he had to deal with the endemic corruption that has plagued the party and government. The pervasive nature of corruption within the party and government can be demonstrated in the revelations made in the State Capture Commission of Inquiry. South Africans have been disappointed at the level of conduct displayed by their politicians and government officials. President Cyril Ramaphosa ’ s own son has been named in the inquiry. As ugly as the fight on corruption seems, most South Africans give him credit for the effort.
The ANC going forward into elections
Cyril Ramaphosa ’ s fight against corruption is naturally unsettling to a lot of powerful politicians inside his own party. Chief among them would be Jacob Zuma. Even though Zuma was unpopular at the national level, he still holds a lot of sway within the party. Ramaphosa understands that a fall out with Zuma could tear the party apart. For now, as they head towards elections, Zuma needs to be on his side.
The ANC is expected to win the May elections, that isn’t in doubt, it’s by how much they can win that is being questioned. At the last big election, the municipal elections, the ANC garnered 56% of the vote. It was the lowest level of votes the ANC had ever gotten, which was one of the reasons they called in Cyril Ramaphosa. If he gains more than 56% he can claim it as an approval of his work. The votes to make this happen are out there. ANC has an unrivaled ground campaign, and in the last election, most ANC voters didn’t feel inspired to vote. So all that Ramaphosa has to do is, get voters believing in the ANC again.
Written By: Sipho Sebele
