Two weeks of meetings between President Cyril Ramaphosa’s chief lieutenants and regional leaders in KwaZulu-Natal paid dividends yesterday, when plans to embarrass him at the ANC’s birthday celebrations in Durban were thwarted.
The meetings convinced KZN leaders to not participate in planned disruptions.
The president’s backers were acting on information that some of former president Jacob Zuma’s supporters were planning to disrupt events where Ramaphosa was scheduled to speak, including yesterday’s event.
As part of the strategy, Zuma was roped into events leading to yesterday’s rally to neutralise those who wanted to use his name to humiliate Ramaphosa.
A provincial leader, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said an intelligence report had been commissioned on the political instability and possible hostility towards Ramaphosa in the province.
KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League chair Kwazi Mshengu also told Ramaphosa on Wednesday that “the enemy” wanted ANC supporters to boo him.
Read the full story in the Sunday Times...