CHARLES MOLELE
ONCE again, President Cyril Ramaphosa said all the right things when he delivered his closing remarks at the ANC’s 55th national elective held at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.
In his exalted address, Ramaphosa spoke about his party’s commitment to deal with power cuts at Eskom, endemic corruption, and the need to remove obstacles to faster economic growth and job creation.
The newly elected President also spoke about fixing schools, hospitals, roads, and the country’s water infrastructure.
He also spoke about employing the right people who are competent, not because they are connected politically or otherwise.
Ramaphosa also spoke about the party’s Vision 2032, a roadmap to develop a desired state of the ANC and the country in 2032.
A 10-member renewal commission was established this year to develop a road map for the party towards its anniversary in 2032.
Ramaphosa was right in what he said, and many of us were pleased to hear him outline some of these key priorities for his second term in office.
However, actions speak louder than words.
Ramaphosa and ANC delegates should indeed take note of Fidel Castro’s 1959 victory speech, where he asked the gathered revolutionaries what they expected to achieve.
“Was it just ambition and a desire to command? Was it to take over the reins of power, just to be able to drive around in limousines, to own mansions and to live like kings? Or was it about self-sacrifice, about being willing to give up all and receive nothing in return?
“Was it about being ready to give up everything and continue on the austere path of the genuine revolutionary?”
Former president Jacob Zuma’s administration was largely plagued by scandals.
But Ramaphosa’s first term in office demonstrated a President who was above petty ANC factions, a man destined to restore dignity to an office burdened by the Nkandla controversy, State Capture corruption allegations, the influence of the Gupta family on government tenders, lack of service delivery and appointment of incompetent ministers.
Now in his second term, time will tell if Ramaphosa was simply posturing and sloganeering.
One of the key issues affecting South Africans in general is the rising levels of crime, including gender-based violence.
The President needs to act and remove Police Minister Bheki Cele in the next few months because he has dismally failed to decisively deal with crime.
He needs to put someone who can deal decisively with crime – especially organised crime.
During his closing remarks, Ramaphosa said the ANC wants to adopt measures to address crime, such as changing the police force into the police service and overhauling immigration laws “to meet the new challenges facing the country”.
Ramaphosa also urged the party to fight corruption and improve the delivery of basic services to South Africans.
He needs to show South Africans and the international community that he is intent on ensuring all those found guilty of corruption are held accountable.
“Our discussions at the ANC conference have taken a firm stand against corruption. We have recognized that corruption within the ANC is a dire threat to the continued existence of our organization and to the future of the national democratic revolution,” said Ramaphosa on Tuesday, closing the ANC’s conference where he was re-elected as the party’s president.
“We know that these actions may be met with opposition and that they may increase discord within our structures. But, as this conference has recognized, we have no choice; we either deal with corruption, or we perish,”
While on corruption, Ramaphosa also needs to also take the nation into his confident and deal with the damaging scandal linked to the theft of foreign currency from his farm in Limpopo.
Earlier this week, the party’s newly elected Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the ANC integrity commission is yet to table its report on the Phala Phala scandal.
This is a serious matter that needs to be dealt with in the new year because with a cloud hanging around his head, the president remains compromised to lead a convincing anti-corruption drive.
An independent panel recently called for an impeachment inquiry relating to the theft of at least $580,000 from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in February 2020.
Ramaphosa also needs to urgently deal with the energy crisis and the persistent power cuts at Eskom.
ANC head of economic transformation commission Mmamoloko Kubayi told the media on Tuesday that delegates agreed that loadshedding was a threat to national security and stability.
During his next Cabinet reshuffle, Ramaphosa needs to deploy capable leaders in his cabinet, remove “deadwood” and generally incompetent ministers.
Analysts say Ramaphosa needs to appoint young and credible leaders such as former Gauteng Premier David Makhura, former MEC of Economic Development in Gauteng Parks Tau, deputy minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela, deputy minister in the Presidency Thembi Siweya and the new ANC Treasurer-General Gwen Ramokgopa, to mention just a few names.
Ramaphosa also needs to consider removing the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan from their respective portfolios for failing to resolve the energy crisis.
But Ramaphosa must also take responsibility for the crisis taking place at Eskom.
When he was Deputy President and a Leader of government business in Parliament, Ramaphosa told South Africans that they would soon forget that the problems of Eskom and loadshedding ever happened.
We are now in 2022 and the situation has now worsened than ever before.
On the economic front, Ramaphosa said the party has taken steps to build the economy.
He said delegates have agreed on a combination of measures to grow the economy, and that includes incentives and tax rebates to speed up infrastructure upgrades in the country.
The upcoming ANC January 08 message, as suggested by COSATU on Monday, should indeed set the tone for the upcoming financial year for government and five-year program for the organisation.
“It is critical that this leadership provides a clear direction to government to pursue a people centred development agenda. They need to intensify the fight against corruption and state capture, rebuild the state’s capacity to deliver quality public service, help Eskom end loadshedding, and tackle corruption,” said Cosatu.
Until the president acts in a manner that inspires confidence, no one will believe anything he said at the national elective conference.
He needs to take the country into his confidence and walk the talk.
This is his last chance.
INSIDE POLITICS
