From cholera outbreaks to gas leaks, jail birds to climate change, and hitmen to yacht race winners, we reflect on some of the news that stunned, saddened and captured our hearts this year
The President's reshuffle prioritises next year's elections instead of addressing the economy, infrastructure and electricity emergency, After serial delays and great expectations, President Cyril Ramaphosa brought in 10 new ministers for his reshuffle on 6 March with a wary eye on next year's general elections. It is a heavily political cabinet as he has tried to balance rival factions and regions in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) rather than prioritise technical capacity and competence at a time when the country's economy is shrinking dangerously.
From civic organiser in the Alexandra township to the heights of the ruling party, the country's new Deputy President is one of its canniest politicians, In spite of some last minute ructions it looks a matter of time before Paul Mashatile, who outsmarted the Cyril Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize camps at the African National Congress's elective conference in December, is sworn in as Deputy President. According to the governing ANC's tradition, this makes him the frontrunner to succeed Ramaphosa who is in his second and final term as party president.
Presidential allies reckon they have the numbers to fight off a rebellion before national conference, Within three days of the parliamentary advisory panel's report on the Phala Phala affair landing on 30 November and concluding there may be grounds for his impeachment, President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved from resignation to fight back mode.
ANC branches favoured the president in the leadership elections but parliament's probe into the Phala Phala affair could derail him, Until the afternoon of 30 November, President Cyril Ramaphosa had all but ensured a second five-year term as African National Congress leader and as presidential candidate in the 2024 elections after the ruling party's branches gave him more than twice the votes of his nearest rival. He had won 2,037 nominations for the ANC presidency, easily beating his former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who got 916.
President Ramaphosa's backers worry that his chances of a second term are weakened by the 'Farmgate' saga which his rivals are exploiting, In front of the cameras the comrades beamed. Yet several senior African National Congress officials say that President Cyril Ramaphosa's position is weakening and don't rule out 'a nuclear accident' in the coming party elections which could push him out of power, all orchestrated by his opponents.
The president will face off against the man controlling the ANC machine at the party’s upcoming elective conference, Discontent over the multiple powerful positions accumulated by African National Congress Secretary-General Paul Mashatile was behind President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision not to make him his running mate, and to opt instead for Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, Africa Confidential understands.
There could be upsets galore as the fractious ruling party opens campaigning for its top jobs, From fixing potholes, going to church, firing up the comrades at imbizos (community meetings) to speaking at memorials for African National Congress stalwarts, party activists who want to be elected at the December conference are starting to campaign now.
The President looks beleaguered as his rivals claim the Farmgate affair makes him little better than the corrupt officials he wants to purge, President Cyril Ramaphosa vigorously defended his probity in a speech to the South African Communist Party (SACP) on 15 July, insisting he would not be railroaded or intimidated, while about 150 demonstrators supporting the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) marched on its Luthuli House headquarters to demand his suspension from office.