For someone who is by nature cheerful and upbeat, the State of the Nation (SONA) circus in Parliament was a depressing experience. I was watching the fascinating T20 cricket and reluctantly dragged myself away from that because of some misplaced sense of duty requiring me to watch SONA. Having attended around 17 of these occasions while I was an MP, and 16 while I was a Transvaal MPC, I have some knowledge of protocol, decency towards political opponents, and the requirements of good manners. Few of these were in evidence on Thursday night.

We had, of course, been warned by Commander-in-Chief Mr Julius Malema, MP, that President Ramaphosa would not be permitted (by the EFF) to address Parliament or the people of South Africa. After the now customary disturbance, handled rather well by the Speaker, I thought, the president did indeed get his opportunity, doing so at considerable length. Why is it that politicians sometimes try the patience of their friends and supporters, as well as members of the opposition and the watching TV public? Less is more, should be the watchword.

The highlight of the speech was the discussion of the energy crisis. This crisis was caused by the ANC and no one else. All our presidents, including President Ramaphosa, starting with President Mbeki, and all the responsible ministers over the decades, need to do a mea culpa and apologise for the enormous damage done to our country and our economy by their ridiculously short-sighted inaction and wrong policies. Their tolerance of state capture, of cadre deployment, and downright looting gives one a picture of the cause of this crisis and that generally of government at every level administered by the ANC. 

The president’s two bull points were the State of Disaster and the appointment of a minister of Electricity. Much has been written about the Disaster. Unless it is ringfenced and subject to proper Parliamentary oversight, I do not support it. 

As for the appointment of a minister of Electricity, Ramaphosa seems to have forgotten to consult his closest advisers and supporters and created a split of opinion in his party. Many regard this as an extraordinary announcement. One does not usually appoint a minister for a short period. And certainly not as a “project manager,” to use the dismissive term used about his leader and president by Minister Gwede Mantashe, minister of Minerals and Energy, and whispered by many newspaper insider sources without giving their names.

Many suggest that Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is about to be appointed as minister of Electricity. This would presumably be a punishment for her open disloyalty and defiance of the president. Bearing in mind her record as the head of the Covid Command Council, one shudders at giving her (or anyone else in the ANC) command of the electricity State of Disaster. On the other hand, in the unlikely event (let us all pray for a miracle) of the electricity disaster being turned around in a year or so, whoever gets this job as minister will be a hero, with a great future in government.

That person could then, in turn, be made the minister of Water; of Job Creation; of putting Local Government right; or perhaps all the “management projects” together before the ANC becomes the Official Opposition.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Douglas Gibson is a former opposition chief whip and a former ambassador to Thailand. His email is [email protected]

This article first appeared in The Star