JONNY STEINBERG: Ramaphosa’s turn to cynicism is alarming
I am probably more forgiving of President Cyril Ramaphosa than most readers of this newspaper. I think I understand why he can’t speak honestly about Phala Phala, for instance. And I often have sympathy for his relentless caution, as I share his sense that his position would become fragile very quickly were he more decisive.
Above all, I often enjoy the ways he finds to conceal the truth. What do I mean by this? Those who exercise state power dissemble and deflect. It comes with the turf. Anyone who thinks otherwise is living in a state of extraordinary naiveté. But this doesn’t mean everyone who exercises power is the same. Exactly how a leader dissembles matters a great deal. And when Ramaphosa dissembles I often find myself admiring him. ..
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