I have lost all respect for President Cyril Ramaphosa. Once I believed in him, that he would clean up the terrible mess that Jacob Zuma had made. But the stink has got worse under his leadership.
Like many politicians he has the gift of the gab. He makes lots of plans and promises but fails to implement them. Widespread looting of state resources is going on under his watch. He’s so much like the corrupt ANC.
Way back in 2015, former president Zuma had appointed his deputy Ramaphosa to head the Eskom war room and turn the troubled national power plant around.
Though Ramaphosa was fully aware of the problems crippling the power giant, he just sat like a disinterested, neutral spectator with folded arms and did nothing to stop the corruption and looting. He didn’t lift a finger to save Eskom from the Gupta brothers.
Next came the Phala Phala farm scandal where robbers, in league with farmworkers found some $4 million (R73m) stashed under a couch.
Apparently, the money was from the sale of farm animals. But why a billionaire businessman who is the president of the country did not bank the money, is still a mystery. Was he avoiding paying tax?
Despite several attempts to get clarity on the robbery, Ramaphosa has yet to come clean on it. All he would say is that he cannot comment on the robbery as the matter is under police investigation.
While the Phala Phala farm scandal drags on, the president is involved in yet another, even worse scandal: free water and electricity for his ministers and their deputies.
Ramaphosa went behind Parliament’s back and rewarded his Cabinet’s members, who earn in excess of R2m a year, by secretly altering the ministerial handbook in April and removing the cap on their electricity and water bills. He also increased the support staff.
Furious opposition parties and trade unions have slammed the president’s actions as shameful and scandalous.
Why did he not discuss it openly in Parliament? And how could the leader of a nation be so insensitive by giving handouts not to the needy, but to the wealthy?
There could be only one reason: it was a political ploy to garner support before the ANC elective conference. His future, not the country’s, came first.
A selfish, insensitive and insincere man!Eish! We have a con man running the country.
* Thyagaraj Markandan, Kloof.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Do you have something on your mind; or want to comment on the big stories of the day? We would love to hear from you. Please send your letters to [email protected].
All letters to be considered for publication, must contain full names, addresses and contact details (not for publication).