The 54th Conference of the ANC was always going to be a surreal occasion. The outcome has left everybody flummoxed. The fact that Cyril Ramaphosa is the new President of the ANC can only be regarded as a positive outcome. He is a leader that has the ability to reposition and unite the ANC and to win back the public support. That he sits with structures that are by and large split between honest revolutionaries on the one hand and at best, inept leaders or at worst, alleged criminals on the other, as many have said, is far from good.

These elements will undoubtedly put pressure on the ANC President. It is what CR does from here on out that matters. His manifesto-for a 'New Deal', for a clean and corruption-free South Africa and for strong vibrant ANC, is what our country needs. The detractors of President Ramaphosa, unfairly, have dubbed him as being a 'Buffalo', after the alleged attempt he made to buy a rather expensive one of these creatures at an auction. To his credit, he has weathered this and other character assassination attempts with dignity and has even turned such labels to his advantage. Yet it is...