Cyril Ramaphosa has shored up the momentum for reform in just a few dramatic days. It is now up to civil society, indeed as many citizens as possible, to play their part.
Neither Ramaphosa nor his ailing yet still ruling party can do the job alone. In fact, its notorious infighting could even harm the national effort of recovery. But at least the ANC has an exceptional leader in Ramaphosa, now re-elected.
This is the moment to remember the words some of us heard over the airwaves from the United States on 20 January 1961. They ring down six decades.
At his inauguration in the US, newly elected President John F Kennedy said something of value to US citizens and to humanity: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
Let us not fall into the trap of letting a dogged, enlightened leader like Ramaphosa battle on without a broadening of his support in the country at large. For some time he has, despite crises, arguably commanded a majority there for some time. It could be most useful if coalition politics were to replace hostility and division.
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It does not mean suspending party politics, which would be unthinkable, outside of a national calamity bringing about a temporary national government of salvation. A collapse of the world economy, or an asteroid heading for Earth, could justify that. (Fortunately, the latest big one heading our way, 2022 AP7, should be a close miss, say space scientists who know.)
The time has come to put aside the more dangerous petty squabbling that we’ve seen for years now, which has been markedly apparent inside and outside what we might call a power-shedding ANC.
Our politics are full of recklessly libellous attacks, racial taunting, and the cynical rejection of well-meaning efforts to find common answers to common problems.
For the benefit of my own diversion, I was called a “thug” more than once recently in a social media reply in Daily Maverick after a mild piece assessing Ramaphosa’s chances. “Thug” is worth googling for anyone unacquainted with the full meaning. Social media, despite being the plaything of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, can be a boon in so many directions, but if not properly monitored can stir the pot dangerously.
Among the vast problems we face are poverty, violent crime and a world-record wealth gap. Those are among the imperatives that need an all-around effort and a certain basic consensus to make even a dent in worryingly rising figures.
We need to find an inclusive spirit of working together, call it a coalescing of the mind on essentials, rather than needless toxic conflict that could one day lead to unending violence in the streets.
A spirit of voluntarism
It could mean rediscovering a spirit of voluntarism — once punted heavily by Thabo Mbeki when I worked for his Presidency as an adviser. This means a system where citizens and institutions, at least those who can, throw their skills and support into the national effort, without expectation of reward. It also means the government listening to such well-meant advice.
That is the opposite of the greedy and corrupt way so many in power have illegally and secretly feathered their own nests, ultimately at the cost of the poor.
We must rapidly empower the poor to give them the real prospect of reaching socioeconomic justice, good education, housing, a safe life, especially for women and children… we know it all by heart.
An inclusive broadening of civil society effort is the gateway, in perilous global times, for South Africa as a unified nation to rediscover its exemplary greatness reminiscent of the freedom that Nelson Mandela and a wide consensus of effort locally and abroad won for us in 1994. Too many forget too quickly that seminal stage in our history. Others never lived through it, thus never knew it, and what came before with apartheid.
The non-inclusive way, always adopting a negative party-political approach, endless carping from the sidelines (or comfy armchairs), and the use of deliberately toxic language, could see much more than a crumbling ruling party. Before long, it could be a crumbling South Africa.
What happens to a ruling party in trouble has really become less important to the national interest now. Ramaphosa, understandably, as its leader, seeks to shore up internal unity within his ANC. How could he do otherwise?
Yet, his real support goes way beyond the ANC and is his most important asset for the country.
He’s tended usually to point to a moderate way ahead despite all the cynicism, dirty tricks and hostility aimed at him personally. We as a nation have to end that negative era once and for all. We must face such forces full-on and, in every possible way, outbid those who seem to want democracy lying wounded or dead in looted streets.
Ramaphosa has a crushing workload ahead, and the advice given to him, and explanations of how precisely he pulled it off, will be abounding on social and other media for months.
Crucially, he has to shore up our economy. With willing players in the league of Trevor Manuel, surely our finest finance minister ever in SA, Ramaphosa can ably carry on the great task of attracting the necessary investment and trade that we need. That could apply also to securing long-term aid — Mandela having inexplicably been denied a Marshall Plan for SA by democratic powers after the defeat of apartheid.
If ever there was a national challenge that strikes at the roots of our country and the life of almost every individual in it, it is the electric power crisis. Here we need to see voluntarism in action too, with all available expertise offered by what we still have left in a multiskilled, resourceful and still richly endowed country.
Civil society, for instance, must come up with new ideas and techniques to circumvent the agony of blackouts. And to move rapidly and in environmentally acceptable ways from a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Enough expert voices are there to address that, though it was more than a pity to see Eskom’s André de Ruyter go, something that needs more explanation.
The above thoughts seem highly necessary in fielding the full SA team, as we find our way forward, edging back from the cliff, post-Nasrec. DM
A strong argument Tony for aligning and focusing on what is best for our country.
Tony Leon? The only political Tony I’d have any faith in. At least he isn’t a thug.
Have you lost your mind, sir?
I want nothing more than to see SA start succeeding and making it a better place for all to live and survive in. But the ANC has had almost 30 years to get SA on track using my taxes and emotions. They don’t listen nor want to listen to civil society and business. They double-down on their outdated national democratic revolution (their NHI plans that’s making health workers run for the hills, for example), they continue with and believe that cadre deployment is a good thing. Crime and corruption is at an all-time high and they seemingly just accept it and turn a blind eye. The energy sector is in turmoil (and they pressure competent men like Andre de Ruyter to abandon his plans and commitment to get Eskom back on track – which he was doing. Now the country must just accept that and who knows what new leadership is going to do?). Their ministers of police and minerals and energy aren’t only incompetent, but downright, lazy, toxic and inciteful. NDZ almost brought SA business to it’s knees and many lost their lives, livelihoods and millions of their own money to make their small businesses work. Andvshe gets away with it. And right now, Ramaphosa IS the ANC. And he’s made billions out of this country. It’s time for him and his corrupt cronies to step-aside and let real leaders take this country forward. I’d rather eat rat poison than support him, much less volunteer to support. And Ramaphosa isn’t half the man JFK was.
I agree – I see no signs of desperately needed economic reform, no signs of real job creation or training or anything positive. Three people in the NEC with criminal records. No real attempt to transfer title deeds for land to black people, unless it is a corrupt transaction.
There is no way I will ever support the ANC – I want them gone !!!!!
He didn’t say support the ANC. He said support the country. Do your bit, whatever that may be, in driving an inclusive and more equitable society. Alternatively, you can sit around and complain and see how that works for you and for SA.
I agree – we have all been let down by the ANC and CR has been a dismal disappointment. Not sure about the rat poison part though.
Well, poison seems to be the order of the day now with poisoning the Eskom CEO and the VC of Fort Hare Uni. 🙂
Ramaphosa is a man that even though we have a multi billion rand enquiry clearly blaming cadre deployment on the ANC as one of the main culprit of why we are in this mess, still insists that such practices are the way forward. The people he supports are often real criminals and thugs (real thugs in its original meaning), not people that have made minor mistakes (like some people in the opposition being crucified for making a bad joke). Watching how CR left Andre de R to die after being accused of treason (madness) in full display of the entire country simply because he needed a scape goat for his own parties decade long serial failings, is just one recent example of many of what kind of a man you want us to support. Social upliftment plans seem to all focus on taxing an ever shrinking tax base into poverty, while defending practices like BEE procurement (which literally adds zero value to anything) and enabling corruption for many. There is simply no sense of urgency for those in the ANC to implicate their own, so even those that are not actively robbing the poor are shielding those that are.
“Ramaphosa, understandably, as its leader, seeks to shore up internal unity within his ANC. How could he do otherwise?”
By supporting know criminals? Is that really acceptable? At what cost?
We are on our own I am afraid, and while there are plenty of worse people in the ANC than CR, it doesn’t mean the ANC will miraculously stop the theft to save our country with CR at the helm.
Amen to your comment, Karl, and that of Destination Somewhere. The ship has gone under, we are in the water, and each person must do his/her best to, along with family, survive.
He is surrounded by corrupt and incompetent people, like Gwede Mantashe who is partly responsible for collapse of Eskom. CR was around for state capture abd did nothing. Glad it’s him leading and not a crook like Mkhize – but I cannot support the ANC, in any way.
Tony Heard writes “It does not mean suspending party politics, which would be unthinkable,” and then says insultingly “The non-inclusive way, always adopting a negative party-political approach, endless carping from the sidelines (or comfy armchairs)”!
He either wants DEMOCRACY or he does not want DEMOCRACY. Before the last elections a journalist asked us to “Vote for Ramaphosa as he is the “GOOD ANC”!! You can see the result of that now.
I WILL VOTE Democratic Alliance as it is the only DEMOCRATIC party with a record of good governance.
The ANC must be tossed on the scrap-heap of history as soon as possible!!
And DA leaders don’t go around murdering, sabotaging and selling each other out when they don’t get their own way. They have some dignity. The ANC, PA, and some others don’t have dignity and commitment. They go with the flow of money; not with that of the beautiful citizens of our country who live under the weight of the ANC. Ramaphosa may be the best of the bad bunch. But he can’t fix what’s entrenched in people’s morals and ethics. That’s why we need a change in leadership. Surely it can only be better.
In addition to this Tony Heard wants us to get behind mediocrity. Although CR is the best of a bad bunch he is in no way the right person to lead the way ahead. The way forward is with strong leadership and acceptance by the ANC, PA and EFF that they’re sub-standard and always will be if they’re led by mediocrity (violence, racism and selling your soul isn’t strong). A coalition of winners is the only people I’ll get behind and support.
The sooner the ANC realizes that it was a liberation organisation, it’ll never be a competent political party. If it was serious about making SA work then it would involve top performers from the parties that have top performers. The DA is the only viable party who has those people. The proof is in the pudding, Mr Ramaphosa.
I agree with all the comments. Whilst I only wish the best for this country and all its people-there is a place in the sun for all and our potential is enormous, I’m relieved that Cyril won instead of those hideous RETthieves with Zuma as the mafia don, but I will never support the deceitful ANC. Their record in systematically destroying and bankrupting this country is atrocious – nothing but high treason! They are too self-serving, incestuous, corrupt, avaricious, incompetent, arrogant, not fit for purpose and too stuck in the old rigid centralised and state control a la the miserable and failed communist crap. They still have lots of criminals, rent-seekers etc in their midst and follow the most stupid and failed policies like cadre deployment, BEE on steroids to the detriment of the country etc. Plus and let’s not forget our disgusting and treacherous position on Ukraine where we side and close rank with the most vile and evil mass murdering thug in Putin. The same with our foreign policy – utter disgrace and shameful. It will only be through civil society, NGOs, the media etc that will change this country – exactly like the ANC was dragged, kicking and screaming, to finally get rid of that abominable Zuma. They could sense the anger of the population and their great fear was/is losing power. That was the only reason – they were forced to, otherwise they shield, protect and recycle their own. ANC interest trumps all and always will!
Tony, you must be aware that the audience that you are addressing here want nothing more than for South Africa to succeed for all the people but quite frankly we’ve waited in vain for Ramaphosa just to reach out to reasonable people. There are two main obstacles to Ramaphosa achieving anything and those are his will to see the ANC dominate South African politics forever and the fact that his mafia clan mates in the ANC have a firm grip on where it hurts most. The best that one can say about Ramaphosa is that he’s better than the rest but that’s hardly flattery. A good starting point for him to show any faith towards the people of this country would be by getting rid of 80% of his cabinet but he just doesn’t have it in him to do that, not least because his jewels are in a vice.
Thanks, Tony; I agree, what we need is a South African equivalent of the Dunkirk spirit – we can move mountains if we all add our shoulder to the wheel – and now is the time.
Right. The way to actually DO THAT is to all vote for a single political party that has a good record. There is only one of those, the DA.
The comments seem to be aimed at taking a swipe at the incompetent, deceitful and corrupt ANC, which even Tony’s article accepts and agrees with. However, we have a country to save and the ANC is both the incumbent party, and as good as it will get – at least for now.
Likewise with Cyril – he too, with all his flaws – is as good as it gets. And most tellingly, if we do not support Ramaphosa, we will then have no country to save.
It really is that simple, so lets all put on our grown-up Dunkirk-spirit panties, and get stuck in!
Jon, “as good as it gets” is just NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Compare the Western Cape and Cape Town to KZN and Durban. Take your pic. Durban is “as good as it gets”??!! The Western Cape is Alive! ANC or DA? A country run by the DA and other democratic parties will soar! Sticking in the ANC quagmire is not the way to go.
To get behind someone, he has to step forward. That has not happened so far.
Dear Mr Heard,
you have so eloquently verbalised my feelings about what our country needs now. Rather: has needed all along. Not just about supporting Ramaphosa and his team in their efforts but especially in the rest of your analysis.
One must be blind not to see the desperate poverty and know that if you were in those shoes one would do just about anything to survive. Do we wait for a Ukraine situation before we/each one of us, become our society’s rescue team?
This being Christmas, would it be too much to ask for a SIGN before we throw our weight behind President Ramaphosa?
Perhaps a public apology and retraction of the “treason” accusation by Mantashe and a humble request from the President for de Ruyter to reconsider his resignation would do.
Or announcing that the Nuclear Deal with Russia, and Karpowership, are off the table.
Or a thorough reshuffle and radical trimming of his cabinet, as a Christmas present to the country.
It would have to action, not just words.
A promise to de-cadre and professionalise the Civil Service would be nice, but is not a sign.
A Zondo-type inquiry into the criminal infiltration of the police would be nice, but is not a sign.
A promise to shorten the queues at Home Affairs, and a plan to register newborns at hospitals and clinics would be nice, but is not a sign.
A promise to get railways and harbours up and running again would be nice, but is not a sign.
An undertaking to integrate the 1.5 million or so Zimbabweans into South African society so we can stop breaking the law by employing them, and an admission that getting them all back to Zimbabwe by the end of the year, or March 2023, or anytime, in fact, is entirely impossible, would be nice, but is not a sign.
An admission that SOEs don’t work and will be phased out would be nice, but is not a sign.
Perhaps Tony Heard can suggest a convincing SIGN that the President might reveal in the next few days.
Tony Heard follows the pantheon of editors we have been blessed with over the years- Lawrence Gandar, Alastair Sparkes, Donald Woods, Leon Marshall and others-so his views are worthy of respect and consideration but his article is naïve and unrealistic.
The majority-DM readers and most South Africans-who both love and wish this potentially wonderful nation of ours the very best outcome and would (and indeed have) willingly contribute to making this possible.
Unfortunately the ANC have proved repeatedly that is not the party or the vehicle through which that will be achieved.
The ANC has no love of country but is an abusive and controlling father placing its own interests and those of its members and rent-seeking networks above the nation. It’s fundamental grounding in state socialism and the resulting economic policies, political appointees at all levels, pathological distrust (and complete lack of understanding) of business (especially white business), sidelining of skills by its job reservation rules, economic stranglehold by and destruction of State Owned Entities and many other forced interventions have finally brought the country to its knees.
The ANC is incapable of reform and none of the above will change (nor in time) to avoid a continued downward spiral and despite euphoria in some circles Ramaphosa-as amiable as he may be described -will face the same situation as before.
Rather direct energies to a new focus-such as Songezi Zibi’s Rivonia Circle.
Here here, Richard Baker. And, I want to hear more from Zibi and his Rivonia Circle.
Let’s not retreat from the cliff but rather jump off it, spread our wings and search for a new consciousness, a new enlightened path to a more sustainable life for our beloved country.
The ANC is still filled to the brim with criminals and incompetent people. CR and the party will get my support when they clean house.
Wishful thinking in the article, but lets hope some of it comes true. My experience with Governments departments, including the DTI and the NRCS, is they are incapable, incompetent, or not interested in making any changes to the status quo. Constructive suggestions to consider changes to regulations just go unanswered. Cyril has got his work cut out if he wants to see foreign investment materialise.
Perhaps it’s not high on your agenda Mr Ramaphosa (although it should be) but can you please come up with some sane thinking and policy on the Ukraine/Russia conflict ? As per article on “The cost of conflict in Ukraine”, fence sitting will not do. Thabo Mbeki sat on the fence with his so called “quiet diplomacy” whilst actually cheering on Mugabe from the sidelines and where did that lead to in Zimbabwe ? I suggest you read the above article extremely carefully and then consult with the authors as to what we could do to try and end the conflict soonest. When one person beats another over the head continually please be clear as to who is the perpetrator and who the victim.
The headline – “We’re on the edge – Ramaphosa needs the people of South Africa to unite behind him”
Why unite behind Ramaphosa? He has done NOTHING for South Africa!
The solution – We’re on the edge – unite behind a political party that has actually DELIVERED, the DA.
We need this call to actively help each other. There has been a lot of attention recently given in the media to local volunteers fixing their towns potholes sewerage works and other infrastructure woefully neglected by government. South Africans often reach out to help where they can. The ANC tends to reject offers of help. Didn’t a large number of electrical engineers volunteer to help out at Eskom for free? I agree with Tony that pitching in is important if we want to save South Africa but the ANC has put itself on the sidelines as far as getting things sorted is concerned. They are pretty much the biggest problem we face. But they are the government so to that extent volunteers will help them too however distasteful that might be. We need to act like grown ups here and take responsibility. Thanks Tony for stirring us all up! I hope there will be action too.
If this fellow was the Editor of the Cape Times, he was indeed a very bad one. You would expect him to accept plurality of views in the political, economic and social challenges facing the country. They are primarily of the making of the very ANC he is calling for people to fall behind and support. No wonder the Cape Times was regarded not as a newspaper but a newsletter under his stewardship.
Ramaphosa has hardly explained a robbery of foreign exchange on his farm and hides behind smoke and mirrors and the ANC voting cattle in parliament. This is the person who was Deputy President in 2012 under Zuma and in 2014 was given the task of ending load shedding and said in two years it is going to be a thing of the past. We have instead under his Presidency an enhanced load shedding with Eskom appointing a special spokesperson for blackouts called Sikhonathi Mantshantsha who says a lot drivel.
Only a stupid journalist would expect homogeneity in a political party on how to tackle the challenges facing the country. It is worse amongst different political parties. Either Tony Heard is suffering from dementia or senility. These are very dangerous elements that bring autocratic regimes into power and sustain them. Personally one may not like the DA or FF Plus but one reads their policies and listens to them. One even reads their manifestos on how they propose to resolve the challenges that includes ActionSA. He must take his garbage elsewhere we are a democracy not an autocracy.
The crux of our problem is that serious corruption is out of hand in SA. Civil society has litigated the issue, the courts have spelt out the binding rules applicable to countering the corrupt and, sadly, the ANC led government has made no effort to comply with what the law requires in relation to establishing an entity adequately independent to investigate and prosecute serious corruption.
Thorough and detailed suggestions for reforms that would render the criminal justice system fit for the purpose of countering the corrupt are ignored by the executive. Even an ANC NEC résolution instructing cabinet to do what is obviously necessary has not been acted on for over two years despite the expressed urgency of the resolution.
Draft remedial legislation is ignored when it is presented to the president and correspondence to him goes unanswered. Advocacy of reform falls on deaf ears in government.
In these circumstances one wonders what exactly it is that Tony Heard has in mind when he asks civil society to help.
While corruption remains unaddressed poverty, inequality, joblessness, dysfunction in the education, health and energy sectors will persist.
If we are to align and focus reform efforts then the first order of business is raking back the loot of state capture and ending corruption with impunity. Without a fully trained specialist body that is independent of the executive and enjoys secure tenure with guaranteed resources we remain vulnerable to kleptocrats and corruption.
You are correct ! CR (who is personally wealthy and has not stolen from the public purse like most of his cadres) is unfortunately compromised and dare not take a stand against those who have. That is the situation that prevents him from ‘taking a stand’ for it will cost him his ‘position’ in a ‘movement’ he is beholden to. He is in a catch twenty two situation or some might say between a rock and a hard place. Doing what you propose is to going to ‘cost him’ … not in the monetary sense … and also result in the quick ‘demise’ of the organisation he is supposed to ‘protect’. It is a very simple case of organisation before the country, constitution, and the people. He is heir to what what has become a criminal enterprise.
You can only support someone that you believe in.
Leadership inspires people to achieve beyond what they ever believed possible.
Look to Ukraine for Leadership. Now, that is a man I would follow to the ends of the earth.
Ramaphosa has no idea of where he is going, so why would I be foolish enough to allow him to take me to a place where I do not want to be.
Show me leadership and I will throw my lot in with you, but I don’t see myself having to worry about that coming to pass.
CR needs to prove he is worthy of our support and respect!
For the country to survive, it seems like the country needs White People ( and the majority of taxpayers) to lead( dare I say it!)
Yes,the truth hurts and makes us uncomfortable but 30yrs of racist BEE policies are still not working, The ANC are incapable of leading, running and stabilising this wonderful country that belongs to us all. Time for a change in thinking, action and governing.
Ramaphosa yes (the best of a bad bunch), Ramaphosa no (nothing will ever change).
WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? Not a party, but a personality who is acceptable by all and able to be a strong leader of a country on the brink of a deep abyss? Actually, it has already started to slide downwards.
By the way, is it now allowed to run as an independent candidate?