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South Africa’s Deputy President, Accused of Corruption, Faces Uncertain Future South Africa’s Deputy President, Accused of Corruption, Faces Uncertain Future
(about 1 hour later)
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s deputy president, David Mabuza, who has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, abruptly postponed the ceremony to swear him in as a lawmaker on Wednesday, casting doubt on his future as the country’s second in command.JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s deputy president, David Mabuza, who has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, abruptly postponed the ceremony to swear him in as a lawmaker on Wednesday, casting doubt on his future as the country’s second in command.
Just two hours before recently elected legislators were due to be sworn in at the National Assembly, the governing African National Congress released a statement saying that Mr. Mabuza had requested a delay in his case. The party said that he wanted first to respond to an internal report “in which he is alleged to have prejudiced the integrity of the A.N.C. and brought the organization into disrepute.”Just two hours before recently elected legislators were due to be sworn in at the National Assembly, the governing African National Congress released a statement saying that Mr. Mabuza had requested a delay in his case. The party said that he wanted first to respond to an internal report “in which he is alleged to have prejudiced the integrity of the A.N.C. and brought the organization into disrepute.”
Mr. Mabuza has decided “to follow the dictates of his conscience and postpone his swearing in,” added the statement, which was attributed to President Cyril Ramaphosa.Mr. Mabuza has decided “to follow the dictates of his conscience and postpone his swearing in,” added the statement, which was attributed to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The announcement — coming two days after Mr. Mabuza publicly expressed confidence that he would return as Mr. Ramaphosa’s No. 2 — could amount to the first significant shake-up inside the African National Congress since the general election this month. The party held on to power but, reeling from widespread voter disillusionment about endemic corruption, won its lowest share of the national vote since the end of apartheid in 1994.The announcement — coming two days after Mr. Mabuza publicly expressed confidence that he would return as Mr. Ramaphosa’s No. 2 — could amount to the first significant shake-up inside the African National Congress since the general election this month. The party held on to power but, reeling from widespread voter disillusionment about endemic corruption, won its lowest share of the national vote since the end of apartheid in 1994.
[Read more on corruption scandals in South Africa under the African National Congress.]
In South Africa, the president chooses the deputy president and other cabinet members from among the members of the National Assembly. Mr. Ramaphosa is expected to announce those selections next week, and it is unclear what would happen if Mr. Mabuza were not in the assembly by then.In South Africa, the president chooses the deputy president and other cabinet members from among the members of the National Assembly. Mr. Ramaphosa is expected to announce those selections next week, and it is unclear what would happen if Mr. Mabuza were not in the assembly by then.
The deputy president has usually succeeded the president to become the nation’s leader — a tradition that had positioned Mr. Mabuza to eventually take over from Mr. Ramaphosa.The deputy president has usually succeeded the president to become the nation’s leader — a tradition that had positioned Mr. Mabuza to eventually take over from Mr. Ramaphosa.
Mr. Ramaphosa has been under increasing pressure to clean up his party. During the prelude to Election Day, the A.N.C.’s own integrity commission recommended that many senior figures implicated in acts of corruption — including Mr. Mabuza — be stricken off the party’s candidate list.Mr. Ramaphosa has been under increasing pressure to clean up his party. During the prelude to Election Day, the A.N.C.’s own integrity commission recommended that many senior figures implicated in acts of corruption — including Mr. Mabuza — be stricken off the party’s candidate list.
Party leaders, wanting to avoid internal warfare during the campaign, said that they would consider the commission’s recommendations only after the election.Party leaders, wanting to avoid internal warfare during the campaign, said that they would consider the commission’s recommendations only after the election.
Most of the lawmakers accused of wrongdoing in a long-running government inquiry into state corruption, including close allies of Mr. Ramaphosa, were sworn in on Wednesday, but two of them had withdrawn their names from the A.N.C.’s parliamentary list a day earlier. One of the two, Malusi Gigaba, is a former finance minister who was found guilty of lying under oath to Parliament and was a close ally of Jacob Zuma, the scandal-tainted former president who resigned last year.Most of the lawmakers accused of wrongdoing in a long-running government inquiry into state corruption, including close allies of Mr. Ramaphosa, were sworn in on Wednesday, but two of them had withdrawn their names from the A.N.C.’s parliamentary list a day earlier. One of the two, Malusi Gigaba, is a former finance minister who was found guilty of lying under oath to Parliament and was a close ally of Jacob Zuma, the scandal-tainted former president who resigned last year.
On Monday — following days of speculation in the local news media that Mr. Ramaphosa would replace Mr. Mabuza as South Africa’s deputy president — Mr. Mabuza dismissed the reports.On Monday — following days of speculation in the local news media that Mr. Ramaphosa would replace Mr. Mabuza as South Africa’s deputy president — Mr. Mabuza dismissed the reports.
“All the speculations are wrong,” he told reporters.“All the speculations are wrong,” he told reporters.
Mcebisi Ndletyana, a political scientist at the University of Johannesburg, said: “For now, the announcement is positive for the country and for good governance. But it’s too early to tell whether it’s good politically or not.”Mcebisi Ndletyana, a political scientist at the University of Johannesburg, said: “For now, the announcement is positive for the country and for good governance. But it’s too early to tell whether it’s good politically or not.”
Mr. Ramaphosa, who is still struggling to unify the African National Congress behind him, appointed Mr. Mabuza as his deputy after becoming president in February 2018. A longtime ally of Mr. Zuma, Mr. Mabuza switched sides at the last minute at the A.N.C.’s internal election in December 2017, handing Mr. Ramaphosa a narrow victory to become party leader and, eventually, the country’s president.Mr. Ramaphosa, who is still struggling to unify the African National Congress behind him, appointed Mr. Mabuza as his deputy after becoming president in February 2018. A longtime ally of Mr. Zuma, Mr. Mabuza switched sides at the last minute at the A.N.C.’s internal election in December 2017, handing Mr. Ramaphosa a narrow victory to become party leader and, eventually, the country’s president.
Mr. Mabuza’s role in Mr. Ramaphosa’s ascendancy has been a cloud over the president.Mr. Mabuza’s role in Mr. Ramaphosa’s ascendancy has been a cloud over the president.
Mr. Mabuza was the subject of an investigative article in The New York Times in August that described his rise in Mpumalanga, for decades one of the most corrupt provinces in South Africa.Mr. Mabuza was the subject of an investigative article in The New York Times in August that described his rise in Mpumalanga, for decades one of the most corrupt provinces in South Africa.
Using public funds, especially those earmarked for education, Mr. Mabuza and his allies built one of the most powerful political machines in the country, turning Mpumalanga — a small province in the east of the country with little economic clout — into the A.N.C.’s second-biggest voting bloc at the party election that propelled Mr. Ramaphosa to the presidency.Using public funds, especially those earmarked for education, Mr. Mabuza and his allies built one of the most powerful political machines in the country, turning Mpumalanga — a small province in the east of the country with little economic clout — into the A.N.C.’s second-biggest voting bloc at the party election that propelled Mr. Ramaphosa to the presidency.
In a letter to The Times, Mr. Mabuza wrote: “I abhor corruption.” The article fueled widespread debates in Parliament and in the news media over Mr. Mabuza’s fitness to serve as deputy president, but Mr. Ramaphosa has made no public comment.In a letter to The Times, Mr. Mabuza wrote: “I abhor corruption.” The article fueled widespread debates in Parliament and in the news media over Mr. Mabuza’s fitness to serve as deputy president, but Mr. Ramaphosa has made no public comment.