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ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at his detractors, saying that they are fighting a battle that they won’t win.

Ramaphosa was speaking at a dialogue with the white community in Sandton on Thursday.

The meeting follows a recent internal ANC survey which established that the white vote could save the party in Gauteng and help it to retain the province. 

He answered several questions about his government and the ANC.

Speaking candidly about his party, Ramaphosa said the renewal project needed South Africans to form a pact.

He assured the members in attendance that many of the things that happened during the ANC’s reign would be history. 

“Even those who are saying they are waging a fight back, they will not succeed. We are going to make sure that they do not succeed because, by and large, the majority of South Africans are sick and tired of the wrong things that were done in the past because the wrong things do not define us.”

He said those who committed wrongdoing were going to be defeated.

“The truth and good state that South Africans want to see are going to triumph. We are irrevocably committed to this path.”

Ramaphosa’s comments come in the midst of a storm within the party over its lists for the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.

The names of at least 30 ANC members have been flagged with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Some of the names include Malusi Gigaba, Nomvula Mokonyane and Mosebenzi Zwane, who have been implicated in allegations of state capture. ANC Women’s League leader Bathabile Dlamini, who was found to have lied under oath by the Constitutional Court, has also been flagged.

It is understood that Ramaphosa and his inner circle have placed their hopes in the integrity commission to root out those implicated in allegations of corruption from its MP list.

On Tuesday, the integrity commission which is elected from the party’s elders, received the lists and ruled on those who they believe brought the party into disrepute. ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe told News24 the commission’s decision would be final and those found wanted would have to step down.

His comments also come after a national executive committee (NEC) meeting, where he lambasted secretary general Ace Magashule for using the party to fight corruption allegations levelled against him, News24 reported.

Speaking about the lists, Ramaphosa said the names were chosen through a democratic process. He said the inclusion of controversial figures facing serious allegations of impropriety presented difficulties for the ANC because they affected the image of the organisation. 

“I can tell you that we will be able to deal with those issues. Quite often people want immediate solutions . . . You are dealing with human beings, you are not bottles of Coca-Cola or tins of fish. You have got to find your own methods, a medium of dealing with them. All I can say is that the ANC is irrevocably committed to doing the right things.”

He said the party was going to clean its image, promising “something is going to happen. Watch this space”. – Sapa