Cyril Ramaphosa Re-Elected As ANC Leader, Increases Margin Of Victory

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as party leader by 2,576 votes versus 1,897 garnered by his rival Zweli Mkhize, which removes the risk of his ouster in the wake of the political turmoil caused by the release of the Section 89 panel report.

• Ramaphosa managed to increase his margin of victory to 579 from 179 in the 2017 contest, despite fighting against calls for him to step down amid the Phala Phala scandal. His victory in the leadership contest comes after he survived a crucial vote in parliament last week, with lawmakers rejecting a motion to launch an impeachment case.
• Paul Mashatile was elected Deputy President of the ANC and is therefore expected to replace David Mabuza as the South Africa's Deputy President. Earlier reports suggested that Ramaphosa's inner circle was engaged in last-minute horse trading to prevent Mashatile from winning.
• Despite Mashatile's victory in the Deputy President race, the results have been dubbed a "clean sweep for the Ramaphosa slate (per a News24 reporter)," with the President's allies claiming the key positions of National Chairperson and Secretary General.
• Press reports from over the weekend pointing to the tightening leadership race may have primed some watchers to expect an eleventh-hour upset, albeit journalists have been flagging a jubilant mood in Ramaphosa's camp before the official announcement of the results.