Ramaphosa: Very much in play, despite what you read
All the dailies carried a statement by Cyril Ramaphosa refuting an article in the Sunday Times, in which he said: "As I have said in the past, I have no interest in standing for this position. Like all ANC members I am confident that this matter will be clarified in accordance with the policies, organisational culture and processes of the ANC."

Most dailies have read this as a flat denial and have written off Ramaphosa as a presidential option, but in my opinion, this misses the intricacies of ANC politics. Tokyo Sexwale, as Ramaphosa's main centrist opposition for the post, came out and explicitly stated that he was standing for the presidency. There were howls of protest from within ANC structures that this was not the way it was done. Within ANC politics, you are called by the ANC for duty, you do not select yourself. Thus, in my opinion, the second part of Ramaphosa's statement is much more illustrative than the first. Ramaphosa will not "stand" for the position, he will wait for the outcome of the nominations process "in accordance with the policies, organisational culture and processes of the ANC."

This is how the ANC nominations work; behind closed doors, impeccably lobbied and rewarding those that follow due process. I may prove to be wrong, but in my view, Ramaphosa is still very much in play.