“Caught Unaware Again? Cyril Ramaphosa’s Continuous Surprises in a Nation No Stranger to Corruption”
South Africa has long been a country with a troubled past, plagued by corruption and mismanagement. In recent years, the country has seen the rise and fall of former President Jacob Zuma, whose nine-year rule was characterised by scandal and protest.
However, his unexpected overthrow led to the election of Cyril Ramaphosa, who has since implemented reforms to combat the nation’s longstanding problem of corruption. Despite some praise for his efforts, there is still cause for concern as to whether or not these reforms will truly be enough to root out corruption in South Africa once and for all. In this article, we will look at the tumultuous reign of Jacob Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa’s unexpected victory, and the potential outcomes if his reforms are not enough.
The rise and fall of Jacob Zuma’s regime
The nine-year reign of Jacob Zuma was punctuated by rampant allegations of corruption, fraud, and nepotism. Along with the appointment of controversial figures as cabinet ministers, his government also failed to adequately address economic inequality, leading to numerous social unrests and protests.
This dissatisfaction with Zuma’s rule culminated in the 2019 general elections, where the ANC party he led experienced a significant loss, a clear indication that the public had had enough. This pressure from within and outside the party eventually forced Zuma to resign in 2018; however, he still faces prosecution for charges related to corruption and fraud.
The legacy left behind by Jacob Zuma is one of incompetence and mismanagement, serving as a reminder of just how far South Africa still has to go when it comes to rooting out political corruption. Despite some improvements since Cyril Ramaphosa took office in 2018, only time will tell if there will be meaningful reforms that can permanently end this cycle of graft.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s unexpected victory
When Cyril Ramaphosa won the 2018 South African presidential election, it came as a surprise to many. He was a relatively unknown figure on the political scene compared to his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. But despite his lack of notoriety and experience in high office, Ramaphosa was able to win the election with an impressive majority vote.
Since taking office, Ramaphosa has implemented a number of reforms aimed at combating corruption in South Africa. These reforms have been widely praised by both international organizations and the South African public. He has established an anti-corruption task force that is responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption cases. Additionally, he has introduced measures such as creating a Ministerial Advisory Council on Corruption and introducing legislation that criminalises corrupt activities.
Ramaphosa has also taken steps to increase transparency within government departments by mandating that all government contracts be published online for public scrutiny. He is also working towards strengthening existing laws related to corruption and money laundering while introducing new ones where needed. This includes measures such as increasing jail terms for those convicted of fraud or embezzlement from 10 years to 15 years and making it illegal for companies to pay bribes or offer kickbacks in exchange for government contracts.
Overall, it appears that Ramaphosa’s efforts have been successful so far; however, there are still some concerns about whether these reforms will be enough to permanently root out corruption in a nation with a long history of it. While there have been improvements since he took office, including increased transparency, many argue that more needs to be done if South Africa is ever going to achieve real change when it comes to tackling corruption.
And who is surprised,…….no one other than @CyrilRamaphosa when he hears about it,
But wait…..he is perpetually surprised by the corruption that is so very evident in the country.— Jason Penrose (@jason_penrose23) August 18, 2023
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