johannesburg cyril ramaphosa tight vote become new leader african national congress monday years near-misses loyal supporters jump feet pump fists cheer result top position emerge cheer quickly evaporate become clear anc officials close president jacob zuma would still control important lever rule party ramaphosa serve south africa deputy president zuma since 2014 narrowly defeat former cabinet minister nkosazana dlamini-zuma zuma ex-wife prefer successor race anc top job ramaphosa within touch distance become president fulfil lifelong ambition man nelson mandela want heir end apartheid 1994. market rally ramaphosa victory investors pile rand assets hop ramaphosa would follow campaign promise uproot corruption rekindle economic growth mood conference hall johannesburg anc new top six powerful officials announce tell different story ramaphosa camp fume zuma loyalists david mabuza ace magashule name anc deputy president secretary general dlamini-zuma backer jessie duarte keep position deputy secretary general start high note go top six start problems thing cyril work collective say sinenhlanhla xaba anc member soweto township tuesday supporters senzo mchunu ramaphosa pick secretary general dispute vote count saw lose magashule sign ramaphosa team try gain great control upper echelons anc analysts say slim margin ramaphosa victory help keep anc together make difficult ramaphosa pursue pro-growth policy agenda anc faction back dlamini-zuma put great emphasis wealth redistribution wield considerable influence attempt remove 75-year-old zuma south african president second term end 2019 something anc officials close ramaphosa call also complicate zuma ally retain senior post zuma scandal-plagued time office badly tarnish anc image home abroad see economic growth slow near-standstill zuma survive several vote confidence control large section anc use political patronage lukhona mnguni political analyst university kwazulu-natal say anc leadership outcome poison chalice ramaphosa officials align zuma would constrain room maneuver ramaphosa team know victory get people want hop recall remove zuma dampen mnguni say zuma recall would mabuza magashule gang think likely ramaphosa 65 tell reporters tuesday anc new top six unity leadership reflect view different section party investors hop ramaphosa former trade union leader millionaire businessman would secure decisive win anc race put strong position enact reform could help south africa avoid credit rat downgrade dlamini-zuma president zuma publicly back anc leader see focus tackle racial inequality struggle distance corruption scandals dog ex-husband new anc top six announce monday three officials slate ramaphosa prefer candidates three dlamini-zuma ticket clear win either nkosazana dlamini-zuma cyril ramaphosa slat expect policy paralysis see continue one side defeat say geoff blount manage director bayhill capital gwen ngwenya institute race relations say expectations sweep policy change ramaphosa overblown ramaphosa fantasy figure decisive man action never manifest reality say note promise ramaphosa make become deputy president never materialize one important consequence compromise leadership outcome see monday lessen likelihood anc split 2019 election raise analysts possibility event clear victory dlamini-zuma faction attention shift makeup anc new national executive committee nec group around 80 officials steer party elect come days new nec split anc top six would make prospect major reform even remote ramaphosa 's 'poisoned chalice new anc leader may struggle reform south africa