Is it worth it, a seat next to Ramaphosa?

What madness! R1.2 million to sit next to the president and R1 million for a seat next to the deputy president at a gala dinner? Who do they think they are, a Nelson Mandela or Desmond Tutu? Which fool would throw so much money away just for the privilege to sit next to the president and deputy president, unless, of course, to take a photograph to show your grandchildren you were dining with the ANC leaders or to gain their favour for some lucrative government deal? Would they be so charitable and make a generous donation to the poor and needy?

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been a terrible disappointment. After nine wasted years under Jacob Zuma, we expected a dramatic change of leadership for the better. We were hopeful that he would lead the nation out of the deep crisis it found itself in with state capture and corruption at every level of government. Here was a golden opportunity to show his mettle and rid the country of corrupt government officials who were enriching themselves at the expense of the people and the country.

But he dithered, vacillated, and procrastinated till his legs grew so weak and limp that he couldn’t take the decisive step to drive out the corrupt.

And so, after four long years in office he has done nothing to pull us out of the quagmire and turn the country and economy around.

Then in July he had another chance to show his leadership qualities but again he was caught with his pants down as the country was plunged into a crisis it had never witnessed before. Oh yes, he could talk smart and blame it on the pandemic, Zuma’s prison sentence and his fanatical followers who were prepared to die for him.

He let the report involving former health minister Zweli Mkhize in alleged Covid-19 tender irregularities gather dust on his desk. Now he has the first part of the state capture report from the Zondo Commission which is so extensive that it will only be delivered in three parts. Although he has said that it’s a defining moment in the country’s history, I wonder how soon he would act against those implicated in the report. Would he want to jeopardize his chances of another term at the ANC’S elective conference?

Ramaphosa is a man of many words but no action. He can be a real bore at times as we saw when he gave the nation updates on the pandemic and lockdown. He’s not an inspirational leader whom you could look up to and admire. But ANC members have not been fooled by him and the party. They have seen through the smokescreen and stayed away in their numbers in the local elections which cost the ANC dearly.

So why anyone would be foolish enough to pay R1.2 million to sit next to a lame-duck president baffles me.

T MARKANDAN | Kloof