Repeatedly disillusioned by our president
WHAT is wrong with President Cyril Ramaphosa? It seems odd to ask that when 70 is the new 50, but is he too old and tired?
What is he doing? Making peace between Russia and Ukraine (he and a group of African leaders, who collectively have little international clout). What else?
Few leaders in democracies have reputations that have slipped as low as his has over the past five years. What a disappointment! Instead of Ramaphoria, Ramadisillusion.
Is anything in our country better than it was in 2018? The list of failures is so long and so well-known that it is becoming boring to repeat it.
The latest was the announcement that South Africa is importing veterinary drugs from Botswana because Onderstepoort cannot make them and will no longer provide emergency services for pets after hours because of load shedding, crime and staff shortages. The world-renowned Onderstepoort and Pretoria University Veterinary Science faculty, established by Sir Arnold Theiler more than 100 years ago, and the veterinary profession are suffering.
Nearly half the vets are leaving or considering emigrating. Does this worry the president? This is ascribable to the type of country we are becoming after more than a generation of ANC misrule, led by Ramaphosa as deputy-president for four years and as president for five.
Presidential inertia or lackadaisical attitude and the Cabinet’s ineptitude is supplemented by presidential shock and concern about every crisis, followed by him appointing yet another task group, minister, adviser, war room, cabinet committee or judicial commission. Added to this, is his failure to tell us the truth. Ramaphosa had the temerity to say, regarding allegations by André de Ruyter, that he had no evidence about looting by ministers. We are expected to believe that neither the SAPS, nor their minister, nor Pravin Gordhan, nor Sydney Mufamadi, (his security adviser), shared with the president what De Ruyter told them.
Just as bad, if not worse, is the president’s feigned ignorance about the Russian ship that docked in a naval harbour and either did or did not offload and load arms meant to assist the Russians in their war against Ukraine. The president knew nothing about it, according to his unbelievable statement in Parliament, yet, in December last year, the US warned the SA government that the ship was approaching and raised the question with Mufamadi.
As is customary with Ramaphosa, he was surprised. He said he would appoint a judge to head an inquiry. At the time of writing, 14 days, later, no appointment has been announced. The US must be thrilled at his speedy action. It seems Mufamadi did not even whisper anything to the president. This led to another ANC record: the worst exchange rate in history.
Perhaps Ramaphosa should step aside and make way for one of the aspiring geniuses in his Cabinet. How about Bheki Cele; he always looks so smart, wearing his hat indoors and out? Or Fikile Mbalula, the ex-transport minister, who probably holds the record for fibs: he says load shedding will end by the end of this year.
Better still, how about stepping aside for an opposition-led coalition government?