Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has the backing on the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to become the next president of the ANC.<\/p>\n
In a media briefing on Monday, following a national executive council conference, the union announced its support for Ramaphosa, who is a founding member of NUM.<\/p>\n
NUM is one of the biggest trade unions in the country, though it has suffered a few blows over the past couple of years, with member numbers falling. The union has taken a firm stance on the ANC succession battle, while larger affiliate union, Cosatu, has opted to stay on the fence.<\/p>\n
Ramaphosa is one of the names being thrown around by analysts, investors and politicians as a leading candidate to take over from president Jacob Zuma when his term as head of the ANC comes to an end in 2018\/19.<\/p>\n
However, it is widely understood that the deputy president is not Zuma’s preferred candidate, with many insider reports of behind-the-scenes campaigning by Zuma supporters for AU chair – and Zuma’s ex-wife – Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to take the position.<\/p>\n
Neither Ramaphosa nor Dlamini-Zuma have officially announced a plan to shoot for the position of president.<\/p>\n
According to investor research firm, Nomura, Ramaphosa’s appointment as the next president of the ANC – and ostensibly the country – would be seen as an overall positive move for the country’s economy.<\/p>\n
Ramaphosa is a tested businessman that works well with the markets, and has the right credentials to lead a popular vote among the people. He is also relatively unmarred by scandals, with only a few high-profile cross against his name – most notably, the Marikana incident.<\/p>\n
With the controversies surrounding president Jacob Zuma, political analysts have said that his supported candidate – Dlamini-Zuma – is likely going to be ‘poisoned’ by his legacy, as the party would want to move away from the Zuma name.<\/p>\n
However, Nomura believes that Zuma and his supporters control the majority of the ANC NEC (they approximate it at 60%), and predict that the most likely outcome will be Zuma’s favoured candidate taking the top leadership role in the party.<\/p>\n
Other names which have been thrown into the mix of possible candidates include National Speaker, Baleka Mbete; ANC treasurer\u00a0Zweli Mkhize; and ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe.<\/p>\n
The ANC is expected to hold its elective conference in 2017 – though proposals have been put forward to hold an earlier conference, in light of the numerous scandals faced by the party.<\/p>\n
This is who could replace Zuma as president of the ANC \u2013 and South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n This is who South Africans think should be the next president<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Zuma endorsement \u201cpoison\u201d for next president: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n