Empty Thuma Mina magic: Is Ramaphosa worse than Zuma?

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been criticised for failing to live up to his 2018 inaugural speech, where he positioned himself as a leader who would change the misfortunes of the country, after years of state capture and corruption under Jacob Zuma’s presidency.

That speech introduced the much-talked-about “New Dawn.”

Now, eight years after he took the reins from Zuma, Ramaphosa is being criticised by opposition parties for turning back on his words and making questionable appointments in government, such as Dina Pule as social development minister and former state security minister, Ayanda Dlodlo, as the country’s ambassador to France.

Zuma’s controlled corruption

Political analyst Andre Duvenhage says Ramaphosa sold South Africa a dream instead of a new dawn.

“He has not achieved his mission; it was all empty promises – nothing came out. It was completely empty promises. The big question is, will the same happen for the Madlanga Commission?

“My take on this is that Ramaphosa just wants to survive until the end of next year,” he told The Citizen.

Duvenhage said even under Ramaphosa’s leadership, corruption remains a huge concern.

“I am afraid that state capture is still continuing, at least with Jacob Zuma it was controlled. But currently under Ramaphosa everything is not under control, and we are ending up in a complete Mafia State, where every Mafia is fighting for their own interests,” he said.

The difference between Zuma and Ramaphosa

According to Duvenhage, there is not much difference between a Zuma presidency and a Ramaphosa presidency.

“We knew Zuma was corrupt, but he had strict control over his corruption, we know that he had impact in many ways.

“Cyril Ramaphosa on the other hand, let things go out of control. He did not make any critical decisions, we entered a period of indecision.

“The result of this was that the main problems in the country, which are state capture, corruption, unemployment, economic growth, and cadre deployment, worsened under Ramaphosa,” he said.

What influences Ramaphosa’s decisions?

In a recent interview with The Citizen, ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula said Ramaphosa’s decision-making is influenced by senior members of his party. Mainly those who helped him to become head of state.

“He is a person who is not in office by his own will. He is basically in office at gunpoint, forced by people like Gwede Mantashe, who know that if Ramaphosa is not in office, then their political careers will also end.

“The things that Ramaphosa does he does not do because he believes in them, he is doing it because he is a hostage of people,” he said.

Zungula further said he does not believe that Ramaphosa is serious about his promise of a renewed ANC and change in the manner the party and its members conduct themselves in government positions.