Ramphele resigns from GoldFields

[dlk001]

Anti-apartheid activist Dr Mamphela Ramphele has resigned as chair of Gold Fields, intensifying speculation she is about to launch a political party.

Gold Fields on Wednesday said Ramphele had decided to retire "to further her socioeconomic and political work". Former South African Airways chairperson Cheryl Carolus will succeed Ramphele as chair, the company said.

"I am pleased that during my tenure at Gold Fields significant progress has been made in entrenching the sustainability of the company's operations worldwide. I also believe that the separate listing and unbundling of the company's KDC [Kloof Driefontein Complex] and Beatrix mines into Sibanye Gold will provide the South African operations with the dedicated and focused management as well as full control over their cash flows to extend their life of mine in a sustainable manner to the benefit of investors, employees and communities," Ramphele said in a statement.

"She is an amazingly powerful woman," said political analyst Nic Borain, adding that Ramphele would not be taking a leap into direct politics against the might of Nelson Mandela's 100-year-old liberation movement without having a solid plan in place.

"She would have done her homework," he said.

Another political analyst, Allister Sparks, said a Ramphele-led party would be likely to take votes from the ANC rather than the Democratic Alliance.

"She is not just a fine academic; she is a dynamic woman of action," he wrote in an editorial in Wednesday's Business Day.

A consultancy working for Ramphele said she would be making a statement about her political plans on Johannesburg's Constitution Hill on Monday

http://mg.co.za/article/2013-02-13-ramphele-resigns-in-a-possible-move-closer-to-politics

A good move....I did not like her association with Goldfields. The company has been associated with dodgy BEE deals involving Kunene and McKenzie.

 

[be.plato]

Another political analyst, Allister Sparks, said a Ramphele-led party would be likely to take votes from the ANC rather than the Democratic Alliance.

Just what the ANC wants. Take votes from the ANC to another party but not to the DA, thereby keeping the DA weak.

Divide and conquer the opposition.

 

[MKFrost]

Just what the ANC wants. Take votes from the ANC to another party but not to the DA, thereby keeping the DA weak.

Divide and conquer the opposition.

Any division is fine as it will contribute to breaking the 2/3rd's majority the ANC currently holds. In my opinion a democracy is also about more than just a governing party and the official opposition party. The more the merrier....

Imagine the day the DA and ANC are unable to pass any new legislation without the support of some minority parties. I know that will be another headache but I believe it will be better than just having 2 parties that just steamroller over anybody and anything...

 

[Garson007]

Any division is fine as it will contribute to breaking the 2/3rd's majority the ANC currently holds. In my opinion a democracy is also about more than just a governing party and the official opposition party. The more the merrier....

Imagine the day the DA and ANC are unable to pass any new legislation without the support of some minority parties. I know that will be another headache but I believe it will be better than just having 2 parties that just steamroller over anybody and anything...

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