Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 24 November 2025 | 12:15 CAT

This week’s ASRI Report breaks down the US G20 handover fallout, Malusi Gigaba’s corruption case, and the ANC’s mounting succession crisis.

This week’s ASRI Report dives into a swirl of political manoeuvring, corruption revelations, and looming succession battles within South Africa, as unpacked by political analyst Angelo Fick.

The spotlight opens with the United States’ erratic diplomatic behaviour around the G20 handover. After boycotting the summit, then objecting to South Africa issuing a joint statement, Washington now signals interest in sending only a charge d’affaires to accept the G20 presidency from President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa is reportedly unwilling to hand over to a junior representative.

Fick describes this as yet another example of the U.S.’s unpredictable and symbolic diplomacy under an administration known for abrupt policy reversals. While official U.S. participation in the G20 remains unlikely, American business delegates continue to participate in parallel platforms such as the B20, a clear indication that U.S. economic interests prefer to remain engaged even as the administration withdraws.

Domestically, former Minister and now MP Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba has been charged with corruption, making him one of the most senior political figures emerging from the State Capture era to face legal consequences. Although he has stepped aside from ANC NEC duties, he continues his parliamentary work.

Fick argues that this does not represent meaningful progress in tackling corruption but rather exposes the slow, grinding pace of the justice system. Gigaba’s long list of controversies from Saxonwold visits to his former wife’s televised claims raises questions about why accountability took so long to materialise.

The inconsistency between ANC party discipline and parliamentary rules is striking. While the step-aside rule forces him out of party structures, Parliament allows him to continue participating in committees and legislative processes. Fick suggests Parliament must urgently rethink its own rules: if a political party can demand that an implicated member step aside, why should MPs facing serious corruption charges remain active in shaping national laws?

Finally, speculation around President Cyril Ramaphosa’s future continues to intensify. Rumours that he may step down after the G20 have stirred deep unease within the ANC. Fick emphasises that the party cannot afford another split. Past ruptures, including COPE, the EFF, and the MK Party have significantly weakened the ANC’s electoral performance, contributing to its historic drop to 40% in the 2024 elections.

What makes this moment even more delicate is that, for the first time, the ANC governs without a parliamentary majority. Its GNU partner, the DA, has previously stated that its parliamentary vote was for Ramaphosa, not the ANC. Whether the DA would support a successor such as Deputy President Paul Mashatile remains uncertain and any shift could destabilise the GNU itself.

These developments mark the early tremors of an intense internal debate ahead of the ANC’s elective conference and the 2029 national elections. As Fick notes, the stakes extend far beyond the G20. They cut to the heart of the ANC’s unity, legitimacy, and its ability to govern South Africa in the years ahead.

Listen to the full ASRI Report on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Angelo Fick.