The last and first addresses of our past and present presidents provided a poignant portrait of a fundamental and striking difference between the men. Jacob Zuma told the nation he believed he had to be removed through constitutional means because he was elected that way but he would resign anyway because his party told him to. President Cyril Ramaphosa said these simple but remarkable words, which left this patriot sighing with relief: "SA must come first in everything we do." We are well accustomed by now to Zuma’s refrain that the ANC was more important than the 55.9-million citizens of this country, which is why his presidency became a chess game of patronage politics, benefiting a chosen few in his organisation and his family and friends.

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