While it may look like a potential politically bad week for president Cyril Ramaphosa after leaked emails showed that he knew who funded his 2017 ANC presidential campaign, an analyst warns that he will survive.
In the emails first revealed by News24 on Saturday, Ramaphosa allegedly even gave instructions and was kept abreast by his campaign team.
The fundraising campaign reportedly netted over R200 million and has drawn the attention of the Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Weighing in on the matter, Durban-based political analyst Xolani Dube of Xubera Institute says the fact that Ramaphosa survived the Marikana scandal, Bosasagate and the revelations that he was allegedly involved in extra marital affairs show that he would come out unscathed in the latest controversy around his campaign.
Dube warned that those celebrating the revelations should hold their horses as Ramaphosa enjoys the support of the ruling elite which tends to have the support of the media.
“You have to understand that in South African context and global context the media is always part and the mouthpiece of the ruling elite. So, in this case the media would do its functioning role of protecting the interest of the ruling elite. What we are seeing about Cyril is not going to stick because if anything stick(s) with Cyril, he was not going to be president of the country because of the Marikana issue.
“Look how the world, the ruling elite managed to downplay the lives of the people who were killed in Marikana… also look at how the issue of Bosasa, how the media spun the issue of Bosasa and also look at how the media spun those leaks that was containing sexual explicit language,” Dube said.
Dube warned though that the leaks would arm Ramaphosa’s critics and opponents within the ruling party to say we are ally dirty.
“Those who have been viewed as anti-patriotic are saying Cyril, you are dirty just like us and so now you can’t go out and claim that you immaculate, you are also dirty.”
Meanwhile, as the controversy around the president grows, black Twitter had a field day, pointing out how some of the people who helped to fund the campaign were later rewarded with positions in state owned companies like Eskom.
They also pointed out the role played by Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan, linking that to the reason why Ramaphosa is always protective of the minister.