On Thursday February 10, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation once again to review progress made and outline the government’s plans for SA’s coming financial year. To say the president and his government have their work cut out for them would be an understatement, as they face huge mountains to climb to bring our country back on track.
The president addressed the nation just after receiving parts 1 and 2 of the Zondo commissions's state capture report, which revealed how systematic corruption destroyed many state-owned entities and how these were repurposed to benefit a few, leaving our country in a state of paralysis.
This rampant corruption has reversed gains achieved from the dawn of our democracy. The deliberate looting, systematic corruption, mismanagement and abuse of state resources has broken the trust between the government and the people. Corruption in our country has been normalised and made part of our daily lives by certain people.
Even though Ramaphosa touched on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in his speech and expressed his confidence in it to further investigate and prosecute those fingered in the Zondo commission’s findings, it is hard to believe his promises because the proof on the ground is quite the opposite.
A lot of evidence came through the commission’s testimonies, and if the NPA was serious about dealing with these crimes those people would be wearing orange overalls by now.
Ramaphosa’s tough talk on corruption and promising to deal with the people who have been fingered in corruption has been nothing but tough talk, without tangible action. South Africans are fast losing confidence and trust in the president’s promises. The only way he can regain this trust is to give a clear message on what action will be taken and how the money lost will be recouped. People are tired of promises without action.
Another task facing the president is to inspire confidence in his leadership. South Africans are not naive, nor oblivious to the challenges and difficulties he faces — sometimes from his own party, never mind opposition parties. People of this country fully understand what he inherited when he took office. However, in his address I did not get the sense that his hands are firmly on the steering wheel and it is a huge concern to many of us that our president does not appear to be decisive on serious matters affecting South Africans.
People are looking for Ramaphosa's strong leadership to take us out of the messy situation we find ourselves in as a country. He is our commander-in-chief and the captain of this ship, and he must lead the way. He must rise above party politics, including divisions in his own party, and pull our country into a unity of purpose.
The ruling party has been promising jobs to the people since the dawn of democracy, and the president cannot in the middle of our unemployment crisis say the government 'doesn’t create jobs'
When it comes to the economy, the president made some good points but did not go far enough to show how, practically, he will revive the economy, which has been battered by the Covid pandemic.
Another urgent task facing the president is the rising rate of unemployment. It has gone beyond crisis point. I was shocked when the president said: “We know that the government does not create jobs but the private sector does; the government creates the environment.”
While this may be true, it was misplaced, and it was said in the worst of times and at the risk of being misinterpreted — which is what happened.
The ruling party has been promising jobs to the people since the dawn of democracy, and the president cannot in the middle of our unemployment crisis say the government “doesn’t create jobs”.
Our government has and should always play a key role in addressing unemployment. The private sector will not overcome it alone, nor will the government. All stakeholders are needed to deal with this crisis.
South Africans have put their hopes in you, Mr President. Please lead us. We will continue to pray for our president. Morena boloka sechaba sa hesu.
• Pastor McCauley is president of Rhema Family Churches and chair of the National Religious Leaders Council
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