Lead us, Mr President

The indignation and palpable disappointment many felt following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation mid-week comes at a time when government requires all the confidence it could muster.

As the country veers toward the COVID-19 peak, with positive cases increasing at a disturbing rate, signs of a president unsure what to say, much less what to do, send wrong messages to the populace.

Two days after his equivocation, Ramaphosa indicated that we will move to level 3 following consultations.

Some on social media were quick to point out – and threw in memes for measure – that Ramaphosa was fearful of being contradicted by Nkosazana Dlamini-zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, a throwback to the president’s announcement that a cigarette ban would be lifted only to have his announcement withdrawn by the minister.

If there was a time the nation needed clear, consistent messaging from government – it is now!