A VIEW OF THE WEEK: It’s getting cold but Ramaphosa won’t be frozen out just yet

It’s been seven years since former president Jacob Zuma’s late-night Cabinet reshuffle shocked the country, and still, both Msholozi and the ANC keep us up at night.

In the peak of state capture season, Zuma’s head-scratching decisions left the country on edge. It was a feeling that returned this week after the ANC’s bloody nose in a bruising May 29 election.

For the first time in 30 years, the ANC lost its majority and now has to navigate coalition talks to hold on to power.

Politic like it’s 1994

Late-night meetings and briefings in the dark were held throughout the week, including an address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday evening while much of the nation was asleep.

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In it, he outlined the ANC‘s plans to form a government of national unity, where all parties are represented.

It was a throwback to 1994 when such a structure was formed to help the country transition into democracy.

But the decision was not meant to be nostalgic or pull on sentimental support. Instead, it was the last kick of survival for a party that has finally reaped years of sown mismanagement, empty promises and corruption.

‘Ramaphosa must go’

His critics argued that Ramaphosa was to blame for the ANC’s failures and should resign or be booted out. But this would only further destabilise an already fragile political environment, and speed up the decline into anarchy.

Ramaphosa and the ANC have been kicked into survival mode and have been anything but paralysed over the last week. The same cannot be said for Zuma‘s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which seemed as frozen as the ground during a recent cold snap.

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As politicians grabbed the headlines and soundbites, they dictated the narrative. That narrative set the MK party as aloof and avoiding coalition talks. While the party denied this, it led to a press release reassuring the nation that they were still relevant in the horsetrading.

Hope and corruption

The election results have created anxiety, but also a sliver of hope that perhaps change is on the horizon and South African citizens will finally be prioritised.

The fight against a plague of corruption that gripped most of the 30 years of ANC rule seemed to have paid off this week.

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First with the arrest of former sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa on state capture-related corruption.

Then, with the ConCourt’s decision to dismiss an appeal application by Mphaphuli Consulting in a matter involving dodgy tenders.

The cold weather is gripping South Africa, as winter rolls in. But warm rays of expectation are shining and there is hope for a better South Africa.

Now it is up to the politicians to step out of the night and come together to keep it shining.

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