Why Ramaphosa still holds the line

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership has often been framed through the lens of criticism, with detractors quick to highlight shortcomings, while downplaying achievements. Yet, beneath the disapproval lies a record of resilience, which is shown in the recent economic outcomes and optimistic forecast. His tenure has unfolded against a backdrop of extraordinary turbulence: the Covid pandemic, persistent load shedding, global economic shocks and geopolitical tensions that tested South Africa’s diplomatic neutrality.

Not to mention the deep political squabbles in his party that have partly cost it votes, depriving it of its 30-year state power monopoly. Few leaders inherit such a volatile mix and fewer still manage to steady the ship while navigating domestic and international storms. He has a very difficult task of juggling these two.

The latest unemployment figures from Stats SA, showing decreases of 1.3% under the expanded definition, are not isolated. In my view, these reflect a continuum of policy interventions stretching back to the pandemic, when Ramaphosa sought to balance economic survival with public health imperatives. Also under his belt, we’ve just seen successive quarters of growth, bolstered by mining and agriculture, which underscores the tangible impact of much-criticised interventions.