PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s election ignited a sense of hope that finally South Africa was on a path to get its house in order.
A country saddled by the so-called nine wasted years under the Zuma era longed to have a leader who will restore the nation’s global image, prioritise the delivery of basic service, appoint competent and credible people in state and drive inclusive economic growth.
Ramaphosa was, in the eyes of many, the leader that will set the bar so high in government that room for complacency was a thing of the past. His ‘Thuma Mina’ invitation cemented his approach as a president that truly believed in collective leadership.
What followed then has been rather disastrous for South Africa. Forget the global events that shook the world, Ramaphosa has done very little to fulfil the promises he made to the people of this country when he became its leader.
Other than outsourcing some of his responsibilities to task teams and councils, which must have cost the already hard-pressed taxpayer dearly, the president made an about-turn on his promise to reduce the size of the executive.
In a recent parliamentary question, he made it clear that despite the current fiscal conditions confronting the country necessitating the hiking of the VAT, there was no appetite to either reduce the size of his Cabinet or let go of the deputy ministers.
His executive, which consists of 77 members, including 43 deputy ministers had been allocated R239 million in 2025/26, a figure that includes salaries, support staff costs, official vehicles, and goods and services.
It’s unimaginable that the government of Ramaphosa would rather cut funding the employment of more teachers as has been the case in the Western Cape just to ensure that the executive is inclusive of all the parties forming the Government of National Unity.
It’s bizarre that South Africans will have to pay more VAT because Ramaphosa’s administration is not prepared to take the “pain” on behalf of the people.
It should be expected, though, given the fact that Ramaphosa was part and parcel of Zuma’s nine wasted years and did nothing. Just like the DA is part and parcel of a bloated Cabinet and is doing nothing about it.