Ramaphosa’s new broom sweeps clean

THE FINANCIAL world has commended President Cyril Ramaphosa for swiftly restoring confidence in the government and its parastatals, citing the suspension of SA Revenue Service commissioner Tom Moyane as an example.

Analysts characterised his decisions as a new broom that was sweeping clean the mess left by former President Jacob Zuma’s administration.

Some urged Ramaphosa needed to be more ruthless and to take unpopular decisions that would benefit South Africa.

Economist Dawie Roodt said the president was gradually positioning himself as leader of Africa.

Roodt said Ramaphosa had already made good calls in the few weeks that he has been at the helm.

“I would like to see him being more forceful and ruthless in taking executive decisions.”

“He’s too much of a diplomat,” Roodt said. “He’s the president;

BUT SOME WANT TO SEE IT WIELDED MORE RUTHLESSLY,WRITES

LUYOLO MKENTANE

he’s powerful. He must make use of that power to sometimes make unpopular calls.”

Following his watershed election as ANC president in December, Ramaphosa moved with speed in announcing a new board for Eskom in January led by respected businessman Jabu Mabuza.

The power utility had been in a leadership crisis following the resignation of several board members implicated in state capture thievery, estimated to have cost the economy more than R100 billion.

In his inaugural State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa announced steps to stabilise and strengthen the governance of stateowned enterprises (SOES).

The address was followed by a cabinet reshuffle in which he axed ministers accused of collaborating with the Guptas to loot the state. Former finance minister Malusi Gigaba was moved back to home affairs to make way for Nhlanhla Nene while Pravin Gordhan took over public enterprises.

Ian Cruickshanks, chief economist at the SA Institute of

Race Relations, said Ramaphosa’s decisions were good so far.

“There’s a lot that needs to be swept out, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

Ramaphosa’s leadership would bring change to the way the country was run.

“He is a new broom sweeping clean and he’s got a lot of sweeping to do,” said Cruickshanks.

The president has now zeroed in on Sars, which is battling a tax revenue shortfall of R50.8 billion, the largest under-collection since the 2009 recession.

This week, Ramaphosa stood up to Moyane, telling him in a strongly worded letter that he had lost confidence in his ability to lead the revenue service.

This after Moyane allegedly forced an illegal VAT payment of

R70 million to the Guptas.

In a meeting on March 18, Ramaphosa asked Moyane to resign with immediate effect. He refused.

Investec chief economist Brian Kantor said: “Ramaphosa is cleaning up. It’s not exactly a surprise because that’s what he said he would do.” He said Ramaphosa was offering the citizenry an honest government.

“Sars was captured, wasn’t it? Now it’s being released from capture. The story is he’s doing what he said he would do,” said Kantor.

“What’s more interesting is that Moyane was offered the opportunity to resign; he didn’t and was suspended. It shows a certain arrogance that a president would ask you to resign and you don’t.”