How did we move in four short years from the Ramaphoria of a new president to a man whom even sympathetic analysts say has run out of road?
Cyril Ramaphosa has reached the critical half-way stage of his presidential term and he will have to show his mettle in Thursday’s state of the nation address (SONA) if he hopes for a second term.
He started with the advantage of not being the concapulating and corrupt leader that had driven the new South Africa into the sand.
Every year since then he has pulled out the inspiring rhetoric, telling us which way the increasingly troubled country must go.
This time he has to do more, namely tell us how he is going to drive us in the desired direction.
He has three landmark reports to guide him.
Primarily, and possibly the most important, are the first two parts of the Zondo Commission report detailing how corruption – or as we call it, state capture -has permeated our body politic.
To retain any credibility with the increasingly cynical and disenchanted people, many of whom made great sacrifices to fight apartheid, he has to say when and how he will bring the perpetrators to book.
Until those brazenly corrupt officials don orange prison jump suits, we cannot believe the President’s promises to fight corruption.
The second report is that of the panel of experts assigned to probe last year’s anarchy and looting that left more than 350 people dead and cost the country R50-billion.
That report tells the President that the response to the lawlessness by the police and security forces
was woefully inadequate.Neither timeous, sufficient or appropriate.
Any government that holds ministers accountable would have to red card the Police Minister Bheki Cele and Ayanda Dlodlo for her parlous role as Minister of State Security at the time of the looting.
The President cannot continue to blame some vague insurrection when the experts have pointed the finger squarely at people in hight places.
The final part of the troika putting him on the spot is the third assessment of South Africa by the African Peer Review Mechanism. It was delivered at last weekend’s African Union summit.
It urges him to deal with the looting and lawlessness, rising inequality, unemployment, the poor service delivery and acts of xenophobia.
This comes not from South Africans who will be required to vote for or against him and the ruling African National Congress, but from our neighbours.
Saying Ramaphosa has his work cut out is a gross understatement.
How did we move in four short years from the Ramaphoria of a new president to a man whom even sympathetic analysts say has run out of road?
Cyril Ramaphosa has reached the critical half-way stage of his presidential term and he will have to show his mettle in Thursday’s state of the nation address (SONA) if he hopes for a second term.
He started with the advantage of not being the concapulating and corrupt leader that had driven the new South Africa into the sand.
Every year since then he has pulled out the inspiring rhetoric, telling us which way the increasingly troubled country must go.
This time he has to do more, namely tell us how he is going to drive us in the desired direction.
He has three landmark reports to guide him.
Primarily, and possibly the most important, are the first two parts of the Zondo Commission report detailing how corruption – or as we call it, state capture -has permeated our body politic.
To retain any credibility with the increasingly cynical and disenchanted people, many of whom made great sacrifices to fight apartheid, he has to say when and how he will bring the perpetrators to book.
Until those brazenly corrupt officials don orange prison jump suits, we cannot believe the President’s promises to fight corruption.
The second report is that of the panel of experts assigned to probe last year’s anarchy and looting that left more than 350 people dead and cost the country R50-billion.
That report tells the President that the response to the lawlessness by the police and security forces
was woefully inadequate.Neither timeous, sufficient or appropriate.
Any government that holds ministers accountable would have to red card the Police Minister Bheki Cele and Ayanda Dlodlo for her parlous role as Minister of State Security at the time of the looting.
The President cannot continue to blame some vague insurrection when the experts have pointed the finger squarely at people in hight places.
The final part of the troika putting him on the spot is the third assessment of South Africa by the African Peer Review Mechanism. It was delivered at last weekend’s African Union summit.
It urges him to deal with the looting and lawlessness, rising inequality, unemployment, the poor service delivery and acts of xenophobia.
This comes not from South Africans who will be required to vote for or against him and the ruling African National Congress, but from our neighbours.
Saying Ramaphosa has his work cut out is a gross understatement.