Ramaphosa doomsayers' criticism premature

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

News24

2019-07-10 08:30

President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

It may be premature to declare a presidency a failure or success so soon.

It may also be naive to seek to predict what the outcome of a nation's leader would turn out to be.

South Africa's sixth administration is still coming out of the starting blocks.

But, the Cyril Ramaphosa Presidency gives many goosebumps to ignore, about what will possibly happen.

The doomsday prophets as usual will be crying out loud that the 'sky is falling'.

They will attempt as usual to convince everyone who cares to know that Ramaphosa is destined to be recalled like his predecessors, by the way he is going.

They will tell you that Ramaphosa does not have the skills of a Mbeki or Zuma to survive even the first term of office.

To strengthen their point, they're likely to quickly point to the fact that under Ramaphosa the ANC only managed to land at 57% mark of the vote in the May election. Whereas under Mbeki and Zuma the party stayed above the 60% mark.

The party of Mandela has seen its best days, some have asserted.

On the other hand, the pro-Ramaphosa proponents, possibly blinded by unchecked optimism, will tell you that 'The Messiah' has arrived and all our problems will be taken care of.

They are likely to sit back and do little to nothing in the believe that ' The Messiah' will deliver them 'the manna' Ramaphosa's former exiled predecessors robbed them off.

In their eyes, all will be taken care off. They just need to position themselves right. Then all the goodies will fall on their lap.

We know what unmet expectations can lead to.

However, both these groups need to be brought in order quite early on.

Our beautiful republic is still feeling the effects of poor service delivery.

Ramaphosa needs to lead. Now more than ever

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

2019-08-07 08:46

-MyNews24

Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa Foto: Jaco Marais (jaco marais)

South Africa is awakening from the Jacob Zuma years.
There are mix feelings about the Zuma presidency. Some who were opposed to his leadership of the ANC and country feel these were nine wasted years. Others who were supportive of Zuma's tenure argue that 'Radical Economic Transformation' (RET) was set in motion. On both fronts, the jury is still out.

More appropriately, to better analyse the so-called wasted years, if indeed, they were wasted years, would be to see the current Cyril Ramaphosa administration addressing unemployment, poverty and inequality. Until then, it would not be proper to declare the Zuma years, the 'wasted years'.
Just when South Africa was preparing to to start a new chapter, a 'new dawn', under the leadership of Ramaphosa, the country finds itself caught up in a 'no-man's land' scenario. More so, after the weekend reports that the Public Protector, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has in her possession leaked emails of Ramaphosa indulging in communications with donors relating to his CR17 campaign for the ANC presidency.

Ramaphosa had previously noted that he was not aware of the happenings of the CR17 campaign as his campaign managers were in charge of managing funds. The leaks come while Ramaphosa has called for a constitutional review of the PP reports into the DA's complaint that he misled Parliament when he said he did not know who the funders of his CR17 campaign were.

The PP has also charged that Ramaphosa violated the Executive Ethics Code regarding a R500 000 donation made by Bosasa boss Gavin Watson to his campaign. Some commentary on this issue has ranged from calls for impeachment if Ramaphosa is found guilty of wrong doing; to calls that he must step down immediately; and to recent calls after the leaked reports for Ramaphosa to apologise to the nation.

It would be fair to say that South Africa with all its challenges and ills, is not sure how to proceed. How does a country move forward while its president's future hangs in the balance?

Most South Africans, even the many who are not ANC members and supporters are prepared to work with Ramaphosa to make the country a great success, as various surveys reveal. But, the uncertainty of the current dilemma facing their president, renders many people not to be sure of what to do next.
And should this process prolong for a considerable amount of time there's likely to be more disillusionment in the country.

 

The fires burning in the ANC could grow stronger with the anti-Ramaphosa sentiments gaining momentum at the sight of a weakened leader. The anti-Ramaphosa brigade led by Zuma and the party's SG Ace Magashule will sense their opportunity to finally topple Ramaphosa is possible and real. A further disgruntled ANC and poorly-led populace are a toxic mix for building the brightest future for South Africa and all its people.

As a way forward to save the country from confusion and inaction, Ramaphosa must address the nation on this matter and give clear direction of where and what his government is doing to grow South Africa after his 100 days of planning are over and how the rest of the country can work with his administration to grow South Africa.

Anything short of that could lead his presidency into 'shaky ground', or even worse, his downfall.

SA needs a renewed business training curriculum

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa
-MyNews24
Updated

South Africa needs a business and entrepreneurship training programme designed, created and taught by the best in the world of business.
So very often the field of entrepreneurship training is carried out by those who have not proven themselves in the business world.
In fact, the higher education sector is not known to have a credible record in producing the best business gurus South Africa needs.
Hence, the high rate of failure of businesses; and sadly this is mostly in the small business sector, which analysts have been predicting to be the future for business growth and employment in SA.
At look at the world’s leading training, incubation and business education systems, they don’t have many of the South African and African business leaders.
Even the likes of Elon Musk, who is a South African, but had to leave for the US for him to build his empire and gain the global recognition he now enjoys.
Musk has a net worth of $19.4 billion. And he is listed by Forbes as the world’s 40th richest person.
Born and raised in Pretoria, Musk went to study in Canada at age 17 to attend Queen’s University. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. Here, Musk received a Bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School.
And later a Bachelor’s degree in physics from the College of Arts and Sciences. Although he began a PhD in applied physics and material sciences at Stanford University in 1995. Musk dropped out after two days and opted for a career in entrepreneurship.
Subsequently, he co-founded Zip2, a web software company.
Zip2 later was acquired by Compaq for $340 million in 1999.
After this he then founded X.com, an online bank. In 2000, X.com merged with Confinity and later that year became PayPal. In 2002, PayPal was bought by eBay for $1.5 billion.
Since then, Musk has gone on to start many other successful global ventures, including SpaceX and Telsa, Inc. (originally Telsa Motors) among many others.
Now, the question the South African business fraternity should be asking itself, is why did it take a South African to go and study in the US?
And then not even return to build his empire in SA but settle elsewhere.
The absence of a well-coordinated and established business training culture in South Africa, in the mold of Lurn Nation, is responsible for the gurus like Musk and Mark Shuttleworth, the IT guru and first African on space to vacate their country for other lands.
In a developing country and economy like SA with major challenges in terms of the triple effects of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
We don’t even want to think that such a trend will continue. And what will happen or not happen to the economic freedom so elusive at present.
SA is the richest country in the world with all the mineral resources under its soil.
Yet we are also the most unequal nation on earth.
There’s not even a sense of urgency in the leadership thrown attracting back our own that have left and made it big in the global business arena to come back and plough back.
There are not even moves to ask these gurus to work with the best in the land to produce a South African oriented business training curriculum for the nation’s business development.
What is evident though is that SA can not seriously wish for sustain economic growth and development that would lead to job creation, if our businesses are not thriving and going global.
Thanks to the absence of business training curriculum by the country’s best entrepreneurs.
The much spoken about economic growth will just be a dream.
Unless we do what the best in the world are doing.
The future will remain bleak for economic prosperity for all.

NEWS24

Don't take Zuma's accusations lightly

2019-07-17 09:15

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

News24

Former president Jacob Zuma testifying at the Commission of inquiry into state capture in Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa on July 15, 2019. Chair is Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Photo: Gallo Images/ Netwerk 24/ Felix Dlangamandla

 

The Jacob Zuma allegations at the ongoing Zondo commission into state capture, could turn the South African political landscape around.
Zuma's accusations that two of his comrades Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Siphiwe Nyanda, among others, were agents of the apartheid regime, hence they want to destroy him, can not be taken lightly.
For now Zuma is focusing on the two comrades but could release more names, if needs be.
Zuma is alleging that because he was the head of ANC intelligence, from 1987 to 1993, has information about ANC cadres who were working for the enemy.

For Zuma, as former head of the ANC Intelligence, he is better positioned to make such allegations.
For these allegations have been circulating around for years on many other ANC activists inside the country and those who were exiled.

The thing is that, these allegations have yet to be tested and proven true or not. However, this time around the person making them on a state supported public platform like the Zondo commission is one who need to be taken seriously.

Zuma went on to become the president of the ANC and the country.

As some citizens have remarked on various social media forums that they indeed believe Zuma to be telling the truth about the 'spy' allegations.

With more allegations of death threats against Zuma and his loved ones after Monday's appearance, quite professionally and constitutionally deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has done the right thing by calling for full investigations into these claims.

Zondo also takes seriously the issue of the Zumas security. This is indeed a wise decision for maintaining the credibility of his commission.

One thing is likely to happen though. And that is more and more of these allegations will come out from others pro and/or opposed to Zuma.

Without evidence by the accusers, the matter could be a waste of time and resources.

The best that South Africans should strive for is for Zuma; and any other people with similar elleagations, to bring forth evidence for investigations to be speeded up, without Zondo losing focus on the important goal of producing the truth; cleaning up the system and addressing corruption.

South Africa is still declared the 'most unequal country on earth' by various global studies.

We can't afford to waste any more time and resources while the majority are still trapped in poverty.

NEWS24