LETTER: Ramaphosa has no spine

Your editorial on the governing party’s performance stated that President Cyril Ramaphosa has “done well under the circumstances” (“Renewal remains elusive for the ANC”, October 20). What absolutely baloney.

Despite his promise to downsize his top-heavy cabinet it has remained bloated. He has failed to capitalise on the findings of the Zondo state-capture commission; ignored credible evidence produced by André de Ruyter’s privately funded investigation into corruption and sabotage at Eskom; and has set us on a possible collision course with our Western trading partners with his foreign policy bias in choosing Russia instead of assuming a neutral position.

Former president Thabo Mbeki recently emerged from the wilderness claiming “the ANC has not betrayed the country”, yet in the next breath accused the party of not renewing itself as it pledged to do five years back. Ramaphosa might be the best the ANC can offer, but he falls far short of what is needed in a leader: spine and a capacity for decision-making.

Admittedly, he inherited a mess, but SA has declined further under his management and there is no-one in the party with the potential to stop our race to the bottom as the ANC pursues a socialist agenda and other impractical policies.

The coming election gives us the chance to change the country’s trajectory by electing an unwieldy charter of opposition parties, but political support is not decided by logic. In most cases is driven by irrational hope, is emotional and sentiment related with misplaced loyalty that is not easily relinquished.

The future appears bleak indeed.

Ted O’Connor
Albertskroon

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