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

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.

“Mchunu knows a lot about Cyril Ramaphosa’s dirty money. That’s why Cyril Ramaphosa will never deal with Mchunu seriously.”

“All the dirty money that was collected by Cyril Ramaphosa, from Bosasa and all manner of dirty money. The person who was handling that dirty money in KwaZulu-Natal was Mchunu.”

Mashele also claimed the “leave of absence” granted to Mchunu was a calculated move to protect him while maintaining his benefits.

“They actually sat somewhere and said, how do we handle this thing in such a way that I don't injure you? ''All the benefits must not be taken away from you. That's what he has done, this thing called leave of absence.”

Mashele also criticised the appointment of what he called “an ANC professor” to head the commission of enquiry and slammed the use of public funds for political shielding. 

''Instead of dealing with the criminals, he actually makes us pay more. We pay for two ministers, two deputy ministers, and we are even going to pay for a commission of enquiry. This is the most expensive way of insulting us. He has used our money as a nation to insult us expensively.

''That's the gist of it. There's no other way. If you are fooled by Ramaphosa, you are fooled because you choose to be fooled.”

Citing Albert Einstein's definition of a fool, Mashele said: ''Einstein said the definition of a fool is someone who does the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result."

Mashele said that when they want a problem to disappear, they institute a commission of enquiry for the nation's anger to dissipate, and then they move on.

''This is exactly what Cyril Ramaphosa is doing.”

Mashele further likened Ramaphosa’s handling of the Phala Phala scandal to outright criminality.

“Phala Phala was an open act of criminality. If you were found in your house with the kind of money that was found in Ramaphosa’s sofa, by now your father and your wife and everybody would be coming to prison to greet you.”

He emphasised that Ramaphosa acted criminally and was protected by his allies in the police.

Mashele predicts that power will not protect Ramaphosa forever.

''When the next administration comes, Phala Phala will not die. 

''Ramaphosa is going to be arrested at some point. Ten years is nothing in the life of a nation. That's my prediction. Live and I live, and we'll see,'' he said. 

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za

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