Ramaphosa’s idealism clashes with reality seen yearly

Uplifting, inspiring and many lofty promises, together with yet another board – the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council – because the police, Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Crime Intelligence and parliament with its committees are not enough, were the order of the day during Thursday night’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“We must rise,” Ramaphosa exhorted the nation. But there’s always a “but”.

Ramaphosa would need the full buy-in of his Cabinet if he was to achieve what he wanted in his Sona, political analyst Daniel Silke said.

“Year after year we get wish lists from the president and there does seem to be a disconnect between the wish list and the reality SA experiences,” Silke said.

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“For the wish list to succeed the president needs ideological buy in from his party and the problem is, while the broader issues are generally positive, they are stymied or undermined by factionalism and corruption which works
against the president.”

Showcase events such as Sona displayed Ramaphosa’s idealism, said Silke, which clashed with the reality seen yearly.

“It was a hard-hitting speech, and he spoke with some conviction on the capable state, and improved service delivery which was important, and he spoke with more emphasis and conviction on the role of the private sector in job
creation,” Silke said.

“Those were important plusses, and it seems he’s woken up to the procurement of renewable energy which is something that should have been done ages ago.”

READ MORE: Sona 2021 ‘the definition of insanity’, says EFF’s Shivambu

Ramaphosa’s task was to inspire confidence in a situation where the country was in great difficulties, said John Endres of the Institute for Race Relations.

“The challenge, of course, is to do it credibly when the gap between the reality and promises are so great,” Endres said.

“This is the point where lofty rhetoric can’t really save you because what you need is the delivery of difficult reforms and the promises made from his previous speeches, and I don’t think we’re going to get that. Unfortunately.”

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