Duduzile Zuma Sambudla Claims Cyril Ramaphosa Wanted To Collapse The ANC And Country

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of deliberately weakening the African National Congress and the country’s state-owned enterprises, rejecting the argument that he inherited institutions already in crisis.

Her post on X makes a serious political allegation but does not provide evidence that Ramaphosa intended to damage the ANC or public enterprises. The claim should therefore be understood as Zuma-Sambudla’s opinion, not an established finding.

The condition of state-owned enterprises has been a major political issue for years. Eskom, South African Airways, Transnet and other entities have faced financial pressure, governance problems and operational difficulties. In 2019, reporting on the challenges confronting Ramaphosa’s administration described the impact of corruption and mismanagement on major state institutions, alongside the need for reforms and accountability.

Ramaphosa became president in February 2018, succeeding Jacob Zuma. His supporters have argued that he inherited severe institutional and financial problems, while critics have questioned the pace and effectiveness of his response. The debate over responsibility for the state of public enterprises is closely tied to South Africa’s wider arguments about state capture, political leadership and the use of public funds.

In 2021, Ramaphosa described state-owned enterprises as an increasing burden on taxpayers and called for reforms to improve governance and performance. Parliament’s account noted that he attributed their difficulties to factors including mismanagement and looting, and outlined plans for changes to oversight and operations.

Government has also pointed to improvement at some entities in recent years. In 2024, an official update cited better financial and operational performance at several public enterprises, including Eskom, Denel, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and Airports Company South Africa. The same update acknowledged that significant work remained.

Those mixed assessments help explain why the question of whether Ramaphosa inherited failing institutions, or failed to turn them around quickly enough, remains politically contested. However, evidence of institutional weakness or policy failure does not establish that a president intended to destroy an organisation or the country.

Zuma-Sambudla’s criticism comes amid continuing disputes between political parties over responsibility for the state of public services and state-owned companies. The ANC’s record in government, the consequences of past corruption and the results of reforms remain subjects of public debate.

Her post is likely to resonate with critics who believe the current leadership has not done enough to protect public institutions. But the central allegation of deliberate sabotage remains unsubstantiated in the post. Determining responsibility requires evidence about specific decisions, their effects and the intentions behind them, not political assertion alone.

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