The editorial is correct that Cyril Ramaphosa is weak on judgment, but he is also weak on action
10 June 2025 - 14:14
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You write in your editorial opinion that “credit should be given to the ANC for urging [higher education minister Nobuhle] Nkabane to restart the appointment process, but Ramaphosa retaining her … speaks volumes about his judgment” (“Cabinet picks under scrutiny”, June 6).
It is a bit late for credit to the ANC after it has trashed SA. A few examples: Grahamstown, Pietermaritzburg, Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. They were all jewels, now all trashed. These are just a few examples close to my heart.
When I was last in Grahamstown in 2023 its ANC-led municipality had ensured there were no roads left in a city Jan Smuts once called the “Oxford of SA”. Driving on its roads was like driving on the surface of the moon. Unsurprisingly, earlier this year the auditor-general rated the Makana municipality the worst performing in SA. The municipality did, however, succeed in changing Grahamstown's 200-year old name to Makhanda. Some progress!
Nkabane’s “vigorous masticating” in a parliamentary committee typically reflects ANC arrogance towards the people of SA and towards democracy. Of course, the “reluctance to be fully transparent and accountable is deeply ingrained in the institutional culture in the ANC”.
Tightening BEE will simply create more unemployment, but it will also further enrich the ANC nomenklatura, as will Gwede Mantashe’s proposed mining bill, which, as the Financial Mail stated in its editorial opinion of June 5, “adds red tape and risks deterring investment”.
As for the comment that “President Cyril Ramaphosa is strong on rhetoric but weak on judgment”, fully agreed, but he is also exceptionally weak on action. A perfect example of his lack of judgment was his recent remark that BEE is not an impediment to growth.
Francois Theron Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 200 words may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Too late to give ANC credit
The editorial is correct that Cyril Ramaphosa is weak on judgment, but he is also weak on action
You write in your editorial opinion that “credit should be given to the ANC for urging [higher education minister Nobuhle] Nkabane to restart the appointment process, but Ramaphosa retaining her … speaks volumes about his judgment” (“Cabinet picks under scrutiny”, June 6).
It is a bit late for credit to the ANC after it has trashed SA. A few examples: Grahamstown, Pietermaritzburg, Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. They were all jewels, now all trashed. These are just a few examples close to my heart.
When I was last in Grahamstown in 2023 its ANC-led municipality had ensured there were no roads left in a city Jan Smuts once called the “Oxford of SA”. Driving on its roads was like driving on the surface of the moon. Unsurprisingly, earlier this year the auditor-general rated the Makana municipality the worst performing in SA. The municipality did, however, succeed in changing Grahamstown's 200-year old name to Makhanda. Some progress!
Nkabane’s “vigorous masticating” in a parliamentary committee typically reflects ANC arrogance towards the people of SA and towards democracy. Of course, the “reluctance to be fully transparent and accountable is deeply ingrained in the institutional culture in the ANC”.
Tightening BEE will simply create more unemployment, but it will also further enrich the ANC nomenklatura, as will Gwede Mantashe’s proposed mining bill, which, as the Financial Mail stated in its editorial opinion of June 5, “adds red tape and risks deterring investment”.
As for the comment that “President Cyril Ramaphosa is strong on rhetoric but weak on judgment”, fully agreed, but he is also exceptionally weak on action. A perfect example of his lack of judgment was his recent remark that BEE is not an impediment to growth.
Francois Theron
Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 200 words may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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