Reality of economy proves that Ramaphosa is failing South Africa
18 February 2020
Two years ago, when his term of office as president of South Africa commenced, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised policy reform, economic growth and job creation. These lie at the heart of the country's problems. The reality, however, demonstrates that the country has only deteriorated ever since.
Small, cosmetic changes were indeed made, like helping small and medium enterprises to register a company or a business in one day. But the hard facts paint a sombre picture of the country's poor economic growth.
Before President Ramaphosa took power, the country's economic growth rate was 1,4%. In the first year of his presidency, it fell to 0,8%. And today the Reserve Bank announced that its forecast for economic growth for 2019 is a mere 0,4%.
That is the reality, irrespective of all the President's promises, summits and conferences on investments and job creation. Two years ago, unemployment was 26,7%. In the first year of President Ramaphosa's presidency, it rose to 27,1%. Last year, it increased to 29,1%.
In 2014, before he became president, President Ramaphosa was appointed as the head of an action group (war room) at Eskom with the aim of addressing the problems at the power utility.
The President himself dissolved the action group, but now he has established a new action group headed by Deputy president David Mabuza. Is it possibly an admission by the President that where he himself had failed, the Deputy president might achieve success?
The FF Plus has pointed out in Parliament many times that it is a mere myth that Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), Affirmative Action (AA) and expropriation without compensation empower black people.
One example at Eskom that serves as proof that BEE is just a way to loot the state coffers is that an ordinary fluorescent light of approximately 1,2m costs about R65 at a hardware store. Eskom buys the very same light for a whopping R900 through its BEE programme. It is not economic empowerment, but economic theft of tax money.
The culture of non-payment for services must be turned around and the FF Plus is calling on the government to abolish the notion of expropriation without compensation as well as to place a moratorium on BEE and AA until the country has reached an economic growth rate of 5%. The President will surely be surprised to see how fast that growth rate will be achieved.
The FF Plus has repeatedly stated that the white people in the country are willing to help build it up and that they are extending a hand to fellow citizens. The government has, however, pushed this gesture of friendship aside as is illustrated by the example of a young girl from Bellville in the Western Cape who achieved eight distinctions and an average of 90% for matric last year.
She was, however, not selected to study medicine. It shows that the ANC government has established a system that is unfair towards minorities. The President owes that young girl an explanation.
Another example of the sheer disregard for minorities is that on Reconciliation Day last year, the President referred to the Voortrekkers as 'invaders' and to the Zulus as 'freedom fighters'. That is anything but nation building, it is an insult to white people as many of them descend from the Voortrekkers.
In 1840, the Voortrekkers and the Zulus did reconcile by handing each other stones as a gesture of reconciliation. These stones are still on display in the museum in Pietermaritzburg. People with different backgrounds and cultures must respect each other. There is a place for both the Day of the Vow and Reconciliation Day celebrations.
President Ramaphosa is busy tainting his legacy. If he continues like this, he will be remembered as one who destroyed the country because he acted in the ANC's best interests and not in the best interests of the people of South Africa.
With regard to the EFF's disruption of Parliament, the FF Plus is of the opinion that South Africa is already in too much trouble and simply cannot afford to waste Parliament's time as was the case with the SONA last week and today's SONA debate. The ANC was complicit in it and instigated and fuelled today's problems.
Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 18 February 2020
