Radebe For President? Analysts Say No Chance

“What has he [Radebe] achieved in his performance in government? His office is in turmoil."
Jeff Radebe.
Jeff Radebe.
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Political analysts are not optimistic about Jeff Radebe's chances of becoming South Africa's next president.

Radebe officially threw his name in the hat on Monday evening, while speaking at a Nelson Mandela lecture in Pretoria. He said he is available to lead the party as its president come the December elective conference.

The minister in the presidency has previously been nominated for the country's top spot, but analysts say Radebe has been ineffective in his current position and lacks the credibility to lead the ANC.

In June, the ANC Midvaal zonal structure announced their support for Radebe as the next president of the ANC, saying he would be a selfless leader.

But analysts were dismissive of his campaign, even before it has begun.

The University of Witwatersrand's Professor Susan Booysen said Radebe "has been a part of the problem for so long".

"So much of the laments that we see in the ANC government, or the outrageous implementation of policies has not been good," Booysen said.

She believed that Radebe has been behind at the forefront of non-policy implementation in the ANC.

"This is a person who has been in the presidency, who has been heading the policy functions in the ANC and government. He has been in the coordination in the presidency in the last whole term of Zuma and has got zero credibility on that front for keeping the policy project of the ANC on track," she said.

"Much of the blame for ineffective implementation and ineffective coordination in the presidency is on [Radebe]."

Independent political analysts Ralph Mathekga said Radebe's presidential availability is "something of speculation".

"I don't think he stands a chance at the presidency. I don't know which provinces would stand by him. Some would raise their hands just to get into the ANC's top six," Mathekga said.

"What has he [Radebe] achieved in his performance in government? His office is in turmoil. There is rot and turmoil in the implementation of policies. There's no exceptional performance in his tenure."

Radebe is the longest standing cabinet member in the ANC.

But his reputation took a knock earlier this year when claims emerged that he was involved in a series of sex SMSs and emails sent to a young employee at the Unions Buildings in Pretoria, asking for nude pictures of herself.

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