South Africa: ANC's 106th - Ramaphosa's Speech - Low Bar, High Expectations

analysis

When South Africa's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa stands up to give his first January 8th Statement as leader of the ANC, he will face a set of contradicting issues. To give a better presentation, something both more meaningful and more engaging, than his two predecessors is not terribly difficult, but there are also high expectations in the long-suffering society which he may not be able to meet. On top of it, much has already changed since Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma lost the ANC's leadership contest, and much more is still likely to change over the next few weeks and months. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

This reporter first started reporting on the ANC during the tail-end of Thabo Mbeki's presidency, early in 2007. He was still leader of the ANC one hot, and then rainy Saturday in Emalahleni, when he delivered his last January 8th Statement. It was probably the last time such an ANC event was held in a small and intimate stadium; the following year it was in Gauteng, and after that the World Cup meant that all the stadiums around the country were suddenly world-class, and massive. Already then, the roots of the tensions we all felt last year - the...

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