Although the Cosatu union federation has adopted a six-month wait-and-see attitude to monitor the implementation of the commitments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the State of the Nation address (Sona), political and economic experts expressed Thursday differing views on the discourse. . Jannie Rossouw, an economics professor at the Wits Business School, worried about too much centralized power within the presidency. Rossouw said the announcement of an electricity minister was “a bad idea”. “I found the idea of appointing the Minister of Electricity a very bad idea – too much power being centralized in the Presidency. I also do not support the statement…
Although the Cosatu trade union federation has adopted a six-month wait-and-see attitude to monitor the implementation of the commitments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the State of the Nation Address (Sona), political and economic experts on Thursday expressed differing views on the speech.
Jannie Rossouw, an economics professor at the Wits Business School, worried about too much centralized power within the presidency. Rossouw said the announcement of an electricity minister was “a bad idea”.
“I found the idea of appointing the Minister of Electricity a very bad idea – too much power being centralized in the Presidency. I also do not support the declaration of a state of national disaster and did not find no plan to restore economic growth.
Leadership efforts
Dr Ongama Mtimka, Professor of Politics at Nelson Mandela University, said: “Our challenge is the complex task of providing leadership, decision-making and monitoring to achieve results.
“The reason we are in a seemingly intractable crisis is precisely because our leadership efforts are not yielding the right results.”
Policy analyst Dr Nkosikulule Nyembezi accused Ramaphosa of leadership indecisiveness.
“The president’s speech moves people – creating the illusion of action. He should have announced the name of the Minister of Electricity whom he intends to appoint.
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“He should have spelled out the collective role of South Africans in ensuring we emerge from the disaster – instead of portraying citizens as passive spectators.
“The lack of details to demonstrate resolve reflects the choice of a leader who does not take seriously the positioning of the ANC as fit to govern.
“It’s a classic symptom of intellectual paralysis in a tired administration.”
Why Ramaphosa Can’t Catch Up
There are two separate but related reasons why Ramaphosa can’t catch up. He has no social partners to help him, given the failure to conclude the social pact promised in past speeches.
“[And] he lacks united support from his party, given the appetite to retain and expand coal-fired power plants at the expense of accelerating clean energy.
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Describing him as “another disappointing Sona”, Wayne Duvenage, managing director of Organization Undoing Tax Abuse, said: “We would like to believe the president, but much of his speech is wishful thinking and the broken promises we have heard before.
“The president sought to inspire hope, but he managed to remind us how bad the situation really is.”