Ramaphosa and the ANC's sinking ship

The article employs the maritime metaphor "the captain goes down with the ship" to critically assess President Cyril Ramaphosa's leadership, suggesting he may be presiding over a declining African National Congress (ANC).

Ramaphosa assumed leadership of the ANC in 2017 amid widespread discussion of "state capture" and a sharp decline in public trust. His presidency, intended to usher in a "New Dawn" of rule of law and institutional renewal, coincided with significant political fragmentation, governance failures, and the accelerated electoral decline of the party.

While some observers view Ramaphosa as a corrective figure who inherited a damaged organization, the article contends that expectations may have outstripped the ANC's actual capacity for self-reform. A key contradiction highlighted is Ramaphosa's attempt to reform the party through internal networks that were themselves implicated in its decline.

The piece suggests that despite initial optimism and improved investor confidence under his leadership, the ANC's internal dynamics and Ramaphosa's own political shortcomings have hindered genuine renewal, leading to the party's continued electoral struggles.