Graft-accused Ramaphosa's political fate hangs in balance in South Africa

The political future of President Cyril Ramaphosa hung in the balance, as South Africans wondered whether he would cling to power or resign over accusations that he sought to cover up a burglary at his farm.

On Thursday, the 70-year-old head of state was rumoured to be close to stepping down in the face of calls to quit -- but by early Friday, the pendulum seemed to have swung the other way as allies urged him to fight on.

The main body of the African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, scheduled emergency talks over the deep and divisive crisis.

The ANC "has never been at a crossroad or been incapable of finding a solution to any matter," Zizi Kodwa, a senior party official and a deputy minister of state security, told reporters outside the venue in Johannesburg.

The rand recovered some ground against the dollar after a sharp drop on Thursday following publication of a report from an independent commission into the scandal.

Ramaphosa has been under fire since June, when a former spy boss filed a complaint with police, alleging he had concealed the theft of a cash haul at his farm at Phala Phala in northeastern South Africa.

Instead of alerting the authorities, he allegedly organised for the robbers to be kidnapped and bribed into silence.

Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing and had a wave of support from within and outside the party on Friday.

"There's no factual and legal basis for (him to go)," Mathole Motshekga, an ANC lawmaker and Ramaphosa ally, told AFP, while a party executive said, "top ANC people don't want him to leave".

The influential head of the Anglican Church also pleaded for the president to stay on.

"No one should be above the law, but to pass final judgement on a person based on what is in effect a board of preliminary investigation, which has not made a final determination of the facts, could lead to lawlessness in South Africa," Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, who succeeded Desmond Tutu, said.

READ MORE: Ramaphosa denies cover-up, details how he earned $580K from buffalo sale

Cash under cushions

Late Thursday, Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the president was considering all options which will be made in the interest of the country and the government's "stability".

The president has denied any wrongdoing, saying the accusations against him were "without any merit".

But he admitted that $580,000 in cash -- which he said was payment for buffaloes bought by a Sudanese citizen -- was stolen from under sofa cushions at his ranch.

The vast sum has cast a dark shadow over Ramaphosa's bid to portray himself as graft-free after the corruption-tainted era of Jacob Zuma.

On Wednesday, the three-person special panel tasked with probing the affair submitted its report to parliament.

It concluded Ramaphosa "may have committed" grave violations and misconduct in not reporting the theft directly to police and in seeking the help of his Namibian counterpart to apprehend the thieves.

Calling for accountability, anti-graft NGO Corruption Watch said if Ramaphosa chooses to go, "his resignation should be in the name of accountability and democratic governance principles".

Parliament is scheduled to examine the report next week.

The debate could lead to a vote on removing him from office. For this to succeed, a motion has to be supported by at least two-thirds of lawmakers.

READ MORE: S Africa's Ramaphosa admits ANC 'mistakes' before corruption panel

Life goes on

But Motshekga vowed the ANC would "just reject that report, and life goes on".

The scandal has come at the worst possible moment for Ramaphosa, who had looked set to secure re-election at the helm of the ANC -- a stepping stone to a second term as national president.

The ANC, which is experiencing dwindling support after 28 years in power, is due to vote for a new leadership on December 16.

Ramaphosa took office at the helm of Africa's most industrialised economy in 2018, vowing to root out corruption that had taken root across state institutions.

He now risks becoming the third ANC leader forced out since the party came to power after the end of apartheid.

The ANC forced Zuma to resign over graft in 2018 and pushed Thabo Mbeki out of office in 2008 amidst a power struggle.