Empty promises will prove costly

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa attended a church service yesterday after a successful manifesto launch and January 8 Statement at Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium. Ramaphosa had KwaZulu-Natal MEC for economic development Sihle Zikalala by his side, as has been the case for the entire week as the president visited different parts of the province.

The ANC has its fair share of troubles and Ramaphosa again acknowledged it yesterday but there is no denying that the party achieved its target of filling up the stadium on Saturday and showing that it is still a force to be reckoned with.

Ramaphosa will want this momentum to continue until the elections but the DA and the IFP, especially in KZN, will test the ruling party’s ability to win big in the province.

The state capture commission, the VBS bank scandal and the state of some of the ANC-run municipalities will be further tests for the party which has promised a renewal in the way it will operate going forward.

If these promises are not delivered then it could prove costly. If they materialise then Ramaphosa’s vision of a majority victory at the polls could become reality and prove to be a strategic masterpiece.