SNAPSHOTS

South Africa’s ANC Will Likely Shield Ramaphosa From Impeachment. But at What Cost?

Dec 6, 2022 | 20:27 GMT

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (center) leaves an ANC national executive committee meeting in Johannesburg on Dec. 5, 2022.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (center) leaves an ANC national executive committee meeting in Johannesburg on Dec. 5, 2022.

(MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will likely survive a possible impeachment inquiry, but increased political infighting and a weakened ruling party mean that the government is even less likely to pass reforms to address the country's electricity, banking and labor crises. On Dec. 5, the executive committee of the governing African National Congress (ANC) told party members to reject a South African advisory panel's findings that President Ramaphosa -- once lauded as the ''anti-corruption president -- may have violated the constitution at an upcoming parliamentary vote. The ANC postponed the vote (which was originally scheduled for Dec. 6) until Dec. 13, just three days before the party is set to begin its national conference where members will elect the next ANC president -- a position also held by Ramaphosa. The ANC executive committee's decision comes on the heels of widespread speculation that Ramaphosa would resign as president after a parliamentary...

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