Cyril Ramaphosa’s ascent to South Africa’s presidency four years ago was greeted with real optimism. His predecessor Jacob Zuma’s disastrous rule had been characterised by corruption and repeated assaults on the country’s institutions, as well as soaring inequality, unemployment and violent crime. South Africans hoped Mr Ramaphosa could clean up the ruling ANC and deliver for ordinary citizens.
That was never going to be an easy task, and dimming hopes have faded rapidly over the past month. First, a former spy chief close to Mr Zuma declared that Mr Ramaphosa had kept millions of dollars stuffed in sofa cushions at his farm, and did not inform authorities fully when they were stolen. (Mr Ramaphosa says the sums were much smaller and came from selling game.) Shortly afterwards, the final report of the Zondo commission into state capture revealed how billions of dollars had been siphoned off under Mr Zuma, but also asked why Mr Ramaphosa did not do more to tackle the issue when, as deputy president, “he surely had the responsibility to do so”. Critics say that as president, his rhetoric about rooting out corruption has not been matched by action.
