/ 21 May 2018

‘Ramphosa has been underwhelming’ — Maimane on president’s 100 days

Cyril Ramaphosa is congratulated by DA leader Mmusi Maimane after being sworn in as the new president of the Republic of South Africa in Parliament on February 15 2018 in Cape Town.
Cyril Ramaphosa is congratulated by DA leader Mmusi Maimane after being sworn in as the new president of the Republic of South Africa in Parliament on February 15 2018 in Cape Town.

With President Cyril Ramaphosa about to celebrate a 100 days in office, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has labelled his performance “underwhelming” citing a bloated cabinet, a continuing job crisis and acts of nepotism and corruption during a press briefing on Monday morning.

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DA leader Mmusi Maimane said the president was governing on “a fragile, compromised mandate” adding that he would “never be able to effect change” to end corruption nor fix the economy and education system.

The DA leader slated Ramaphosa for his failure to cut back on a bloated cabinet of 35 ministers and 37 deputy-ministers, arguing that over the medium term, the president’s cabinet will cost South Africa more than R510.5-million. He also slated the president for moving former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser to the correctional services and for not appointing a new NPA boss.

“Cyril Ramaphosa has been underwhelming, as South Africans have rightfully expected much more from the President. We remain stuck in a jobs crisis, while our country is not safe from crime, and our politicians continue to commit acts of corruption and nepotism,” said Maimane.

The party has claimed that since Ramaphosa assumed office 100 000 invoices, worth over R7.7-billion between government departments and small businesses, remain unpaid.

Maimane also hit out at the president’s amendments of broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) legislation, which Maimane believes, should have included internships, bursaries and funding of schools as legitimate empowerment.

“We must not forget that President Ramaphosa faithfully served as Jacob Zuma’s deputy president for the previous four years and at every juncture displayed solidarity with, and support for, the former President,” said Maimane.

Ramaphosa will have officially been in office for a 100 days on May 26.

Here are some of the president’s achievements to date:

  1. Tom Moyane and Arthur Fraser have been removed as heads of the South African Revenue Service and State Security Agency respectively,
  2. Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan were brought back in a cabinet reshuffle on February 26,
  3. An inquiry into state capture has been instituted with an amendment that allows testimonies heard during the inquiry to be admissible criminal proceedings,
  4. A renewed focus on investment in the South Africa,
  5. Placing the North West government under national administration.

Read the full report here.