Cyril Ramaphosa buying time to protect his corrupt allies – Solly Moeng

Political commentator Solly Moeng said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legal action to block his parliamentary impeachment inquiry is a tactic to kick the can down the road.

Moeng shared his views about South Africa’s political and economic environment during a discussion on Biznews.

He said that when the Phala Phala scandal first broke, Ramaphosa wanted to resign. However, he was convinced not to.

“It was also rumoured at the time that the people around him realised their own interests would be jeopardised if he left, so they told him he couldn’t go,” he said.

Moeng said that he suspects that the same people around him are now convincing him to fight the impeachment process.

“Initially, he agreed to let the matter resume, which is scheduled to be heard in September,” he said.

“However, I suspect he didn’t actually think the parliamentary impeachment committee would go ahead.”

Once they set it up, Ramaphosa reacted by trying to interdict the process through the courts, which will be heard in July.

“The opposition parties are rightly pointing out that while the law allows him to approach the courts, it doesn’t automatically halt the parliamentary process,” he said.

“Ultimately, he is just buying time and kicking the can down the road. Ramaphosa will not be president of the ANC following its next elective conference in 2027.”

Moeng argued that Ramaphosa is buying time for himself and, crucially, for the people around him whose interests would be severely damaged if he left right now.

“If he were to leave tomorrow, Paul Mashatile would immediately step in, because he is the only realistic alternative,” he said.

“Ramaphosa is going to buy as much time as he can, but he is really just chasing ghosts. Public confidence in the ANC-led government is incredibly low.”

“He came in as the last hope for South Africa, but over the years, citizens have seen him refuse to make hard decisions and protect his compromised comrades.”

Cyril Ramaphosa will end up in jail – Prince Mashele

Political analyst and author Prince Mashele predicts that President Cyril Ramaphosa will end up in prison after he loses power.

Mashele said that people close to Ramaphosa believed they could manage the scandal because he was the country’s president. However, this was not the case.

“I bet my last penny that the Phala Phala money scandal will eventually follow Cyril Ramaphosa into a jail cell once he loses state power,” he said.

He likened it to former President Jacob Zuma, who had full control of the state during his tenure. When he lost power, he went to jail.

“Government officials cover things up when you are in power. However, this changes when you are no longer the president,” he said.

He argued that while political tricks can stall parliament, a criminal court process cannot be dodged.

Commenting on the current impeachment process, he said that Ramaphosa will not be impeached by Parliament.

“He will not sit in front of an impeachment committee in Parliament. Ramaphosa is exiting, and what he is doing is buying time,” he said.

“He knows that setting up an impeachment committee and process to handle such a case takes a long time. He is now closing all gaps he can while in office.”

According to Mashele, Ramaphosa will stay in office and oversee the local government elections in November 2026.

“The impeachment process may run until he is replaced at the ANC’s elective conference in December 2027,” he said.

“If the impeachment committee calls him sooner than December 2027, he will resign because there are too many skeletons in the closet.”

He said that Ramaphosa will never subject himself to a process which threatens to unearth the truth.