It’s time to keep your promises, Ramaphosa

Dear Cyril (We feel we can call you that because we’re still in holiday mode):

The honeymoon is over. We say that because it’s been two years since you effectively toppled Jacob Zuma as leader of the ANC and president of our country and, while we have deep sympathy for the challenges you face in turning around an organisation (and government) filled with incompetents and thieves; we’ve heard enough of your talk.

It’s time to walk the walk.

Your New Year’s address to the nation was, we are afraid to say, more of the platitudes we’ve heard over and over again since your takeover.

“I will improve service delivery. I will re-engineer our state institutions to serve the people, I will clamp down on corruption,” you said.

Sadly, sir, it’s all blah-blah-blah if it’s not followed by visible and effective action.

In your defence, though, when you used your address to highlight the plague of violence against women and children, you reminded us that your government – any government – cannot alone change a situation and that everywhere citizens themselves need to make the difference.

So here is what we say as South Africans: You keep your promises and we’ll try to have your back as much as we can.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.