As the cliché goes, all eyes will be on President Cyril Ramaphosa tonight as he delivers the State of the Nation Address.
But, in reality, many South Africans will find other things to do as they have long given up on Ramaphosa and his “new dawn” talk that is seldom matched by action or real change.
The sadder reality is that someone somehow has to step up and not only deliver with speed, but give everyone their marching orders for the remainder of the year, and set about leading us to a better place. Someone needs to lead us out of the vortex of crises sucking us into a bottomless dark hole of pain, loss and suffering.
But will we see a statesman – a bold leader skilled in managing public affairs – or an orator, or showman, rising up to take the podium tonight?
Are we in for another smooth, poetic delivery containing dreams, visions and the right words at a time when we need concrete plans and bold action? When Ramaphosa wrested the presidency baton from Jacob Zuma and took the podium on February 16, 2018, he promised change – swift change. Three years down the line many are now languishing in deeper crises and worse suffering.
Back then he gave the citizenry hope and the impression that he could deliver quickly, that he understood the need for speed and the correct levers to pull to unite the once-glorious movement he leads and steer South Africa out of its economic, social and political mess.
Ramaphosa and this great nation are fast running out of time. The economic meltdown that began before his ascension to the hot seat was worsening at frightening speeds before the advent of Covid-19 last year. What was previously seen as a promising young demographic bulge had long transmogrified into a frightening time bomb of social challenges and suffering due to world-leading levels of youth unemployment.
“Our most grave and pressing challenge is youth unemployment,” he reminded us, and said “great urgency” was required to deal with this crisis.
Now we have a pandemic that will wait for no man and no country.
Will Ramaphosa step up and give us direction and action tonight?
The Star