EDITORIAL: Waiting for the reshuffle and other decisions

President Cyril Ramaphosa has come under heavy pressure since he ascended to the highest office in the land in 2018 for his poor leadership skills. One of the most recurring criticisms is that he lets decisions on big issues linger for too long.  

A live, recent example is the cabinet reshuffle. Rumours that he would rejig his cabinet have been bubbling under for more than six months, fanned in recent weeks by his announcement that he would appoint the minister of electricity, and the governing party’s announcement that an executive shake-up would be “done and dusted” by the end of February. That is today.    

Ramaphosa’s deputy, David Mabuza, added to the suspension with his announcement early this month that he had resigned. Add the appointment of ANC leaders, including Ramaphosa’s No 2 in the ANC, Paul Mashatile, and one has fertile ground for speculation.   

This speculation would matter a little in a political environment different to ours, such as in countries with a distinction between the political and administrative layers.

For example, in a country like Great Britain, from where we have copied some of our political processes and institutions, the administration functions efficiently despite the ups and downs of the political layers. In SA, the bureaucracy still needs to be professionalised. It has instead been politicised to such an extent that it does not grind well when the political layer is in suspense. This layer already has too many problems afflicting it. With this pervading lack of clarity about political offices and their incumbents, it is easy for crucial decisions to be hung owing to anxiety and insecurity deep in the administration. This is not how the administrative layer should work, as it should be independent of any turbulence at the cabinet level. But that is the kind of political reality we have. 

Ramaphosa prefers to let ideas percolate before moving, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And that is not to say a cabinet reshuffle will result in SA improving its fortunes on everything from crime to energy crisis. But the biggest demand for Ramaphosa’s job is decision-making.