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'Ramaphosa will die in jail if he lives to 80,' says Political Analyst Prince Mashele

'Ramaphosa will die in jail if he lives to 80,' says Political Analyst Prince Mashele

IOL News3 days ago
Political analyst Prince Mashele says President Ramaphosa's corruption and failure to act show he leads a criminal network and will ultimately die in jail if he lives long enough.
Political analyst Prince Mashele says President Cyril Ramaphosa will be remembered as one of the most ineffectual presidents in post-apartheid South Africa. He predicts that if the president lives long enough, 'say he touches 80,' he will die in jail.
In an interview on the Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh podcast, Mashele expressed criticism of Ramaphosa, calling him the "criminal in chief" at the head of a 'criminal organisation,' namely the African National Congress (ANC).
'Cyril Ramaphosa will go down in history as one of the most useless presidents we have had after 1994. And I don't mince my words, useless. Zuma will go down in history as the most criminal. But let's park that, we've dealt with Zuma many times. There is a criminal organisation, the criminal in chief, it's president Ramaphosa himself,' Mashele said.
Referring to Ramaphosa's handling of the revelations and allegations made by KZN police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in a press briefing on July 6, 2025, Mashele accused the president of deliberately failing to act in the face of damning intelligence.
'You see, there is a moment for a leader of a country to show leadership, to lead his nation. Cyril Ramaphosa missed the moment. He did not act like a leader. He has completely forgotten his responsibilities.'
Mashele argued that Ramaphosa, as president, receives daily intelligence briefings and cannot plead ignorance.
'A president is client number one of our intelligence services. They report to the president. There is absolutely nothing that Mkhwanazi knows that Cyril Ramaphosa does not know. So this idea that there must be a commission of enquiry is absolute nonsense. In fact, it's insulting our intelligence as a society. He knows,'' said Mashele.
Central to Mashele's argument is what he sees as a mutually compromising relationship between Ramaphosa and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
'He [Ramaphosa] cannot act sternly against Mchunu. Why? Because he and Mchunu are partners in crime,' said Mashele.
He accused Ramaphosa of being unable to act against Mchunu due to their shared involvement in the CR17 campaign, where, according to Mashele, 'all the dirty money' flowed.
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