Beitrag vom 12.04.2022

The Africa Report

South Africa: Could Ronald Lamola become country’s youngest president?

By Carien du Plessis

South Africa's Deputy President David Mabuza has lost his power base in his home region, lending weight to speculation that he will not be in the running for a second term. This could open the way for a younger candidate, such as Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, should President Cyril Ramaphosa run for office uncontested at the ANC's elective conference in December.

The win for the Ramaphosa camp at the conference a week ago in Mpumalanga – a province that was in Mabuza’s grip for well over a decade and a half – has raised hopes for fresh blood in the deputy presidency. However, it also unleashed a fierce fightback by Ramaphosa’s detractors, which might force Ramaphosa, again, to accept a compromise candidate as deputy.

Who is Ronald Lamola?

38-year-old Lamola is from Mpumalanga, the same province as Mabuza. The two were close. Lamola briefly acted as Mabuza’s spokesperson in 2011 during the latter’s term as premier (2009 to 2017).

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