CAROL PATON: Big-thinking president fails to focus on the situation at hand
Cyril Ramaphosa may end up doing nothing in his five-year term amid constraints and a lack of a clear plan
Few things were debated as intensely in business and political circles in the lead-up to the election as what kind of a president Cyril Ramaphosa would be in this, his first real term. Now that we have had the election, the cabinet selection, the ANC’s selection of parliamentary committee chairs and the state of the nation speech, we are getting a good idea.
He is the kind of president who wants to have his cake and eat it. Making choices and trade-offs is not Ramaphosa’s inclination, nor his strength. The speech, which introduced several new spending priorities, including more money for Eskom much sooner, promised fiscal prudence in the same breath without any honesty on the implications for the fiscus...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.