Cyril is also walking a long walk

Nelson Mandela’s dream of political and economic freedom for all clashed with the ideology of apartheid and set him off on his long walk to freedom.

His release from prison after 27 years, marked only the beginning of a process of healing and building a deeply divided society into a united nation.

Great progress in the initial years, has unfortunately been stalled and even reversed under the Jacob Zuma presidency.

Ironically it took another 27 years after Madiba’s release before his first choice as his successor could take up his mantle.

In an ironic twist of fate Cyril Ramaphosa’s aim of further pursuing the dream of political and economic freedom for all, now clashes with greed and ideologies of factions within the ANC itself.

He has nevertheless succeeded in taking concrete steps to steer the ANC back to the road envisaged by Madiba and its founding fathers during his first 100 days in office. His walk may, however, be as long and as challenging as Madiba’s walk.

Madiba set out with a united party behind him and with a large majoirity of South Africans enthusiastic to be part of a new chapter, back in the fold as a respected member of the family of nations.

Ramaphosa, pictured, took office as leader of a divided party; with much of the goodwill of 1994 squandered under the Zuma presidency; and with the process of nation-building on the back foot again.

He has to perform a delicate balancing act between the expectations on the one hand and the challenges posed by a restless political landscape, a struggling economy and a widening inequality gap.

Despite this, Ramaphosa succeeded in restoring a degree of confidence and optimism locally and abroad. However, he will need the support, not only of his own party, but of moderate forces in the broader South African society to get us on the high road again and to reach our full potential. Dawie Jacobs, Sterrewag

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Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo says the public will fork out at least R230 million to fund the state capture hearings.