We came, we corrupted, we looted

‘We came, we corrupted, we looted’

President Ramaphosa’s assertion that the purpose of his national dialogue is to outline the role and responsibilities of the state shows just how rudderless the ANC has become thereby rendering it ineligible to be anywhere near the levers of governance.

Governments are voted out when they fail in one of more of these obligations: Providing safety and security; providing essential services such as healthcare and education; enabling an environment in which economic growth thrives; upholding law and order; maintaining and developing infrastructure; ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.

The ANC has failed in all of those obligations. The optics of its failure are apparent wherever one looks. If it had a conscience and a sense of shame it would call a general election and retire in ignominy.Instead it pretends it wants to hear what the priorities are in order to remedy the state of ruin it has produced. Instead it ignores the fact that reform is not possible through those whose failure necessitated it in the first place. Instead it stumbles onwards blindly believing that the dividends of liberation will sustain it in power. But by failing hopelessly to deliver on its pledge of “a better life for all,” the ANC has long since squandered those dividends.

Thus, the ANC has earned the epitaph: ‘We came, we corrupted, we looted.’ | DUNCAN DU BOIS Bluff

Use smart geysers and save money

With South Africa enjoying a reprieve from loadshedding, now is the time to act swiftly to secure the country’s long-term energy stability.

One of the most effective yet underutilised solutions is the widespread adoption of smart geysers, and the only way to gain the full benefit of this measure is to ensure compliance through legislative action that mandates smart geyser adoption.

This could not be more urgent, as Eskom is currently spending billions of rand on diesel to keep the lights on, a stop-gap measure flagged by the Minerals Council South Africa’s July 2025 electricity update as unsustainable.

Economist André Lourens has warned that this reliance will inevitably come back to consumers in the form of steeper electricity tariffs in years ahead, further squeezing households and businesses already under financial strain.

The value of decisive action, being taken today, is supported by data. Early in his tenure as Minister of Electricity, Kgosientso Ramokgopa indicated that simply switching off geysers when not in use could save up to 4 000mW – the equivalent of four stages of loadshedding. Smart geysers make this not only possible, but automatic, unlocking consistent national savings without the economic and environmental cost of burning diesel. | Mark Allewell Cape Town

Ode to South Africa’s unemployment stats

Here’s my take on the latest stats around youth unemployment in South Africa – a crisis that affects millions of young people, and one I engage with directly through my work at Youth Capital.

Disconnected voices
Echo across the country
Young people sit
With their arms folded
Waiting for opportunities
To fall into their laps 

The stolen blindfolds
From lady justice hides
Our bruised knuckles
From knocking on doors
That never seem to open

Her scales balance
The weight of corruption
Like the qualification of nepotism
As the unwritten requirement
In every job description 

In justice
Our talent and abilities
Are no longer necessary
For we are the generation
Of educated minds
With certificates to decorate
The deteriorating system
That keeps failing us
Ekta Somera
Cape Town

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