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President Cyril Ramaphosa simply had to act. Not to take action would almost have been treasonous. South Africa has gradually been enveloped by a sense of creeping despair and crisis. The unexpected announcement of a technical recession, coupled with steep petrol increases, retrenchments and an increase in VAT had started gnawing away at the Ramaphoria he inspired when he replaced the corrupt Jacob Zuma.
Growth forecasts had been reduced for the umpteenth time. But the stimulus package he announced on Friday was received largely positively. The main features are the reprioritisation of government spending, as well as the creation of a R400bn infrastructure fund that will galvanise resources from the private sector and make it a partner in helping the government to grow the economy.
But there are also low-hanging fruit that should have been addressed ages ago.
Ramaphosa announced changes to the visa regime, which will make it easier for foreigners to visit the country. They will get visas without too much hassle. There was no reason we, as a country, had to entertain Malusi Gigaba’s ego, which led him to tighten the visa laws, depriving us of the much-needed billions that were lost.
In the near future Ramaphosa will introduce a mining charter which, it is hoped, will incorporate the views of important stakeholders, a stunning omission by Gupta-lackey Mosebenzi Zwane, who was bent on bulldozing everyone in the name of radical economic transformation.
Other measures to reduce the cost of doing business in Mzansi should bear fruit in the foreseeable future.
Our government has announced many plans.
Zuma had his nine-point plan and Gigaba had a 14-point one, containing some of Ramaphosa’s proposals.
Now we need Ramaphosa to follow through with all his plans. South Africa is richly endowed with honest, selfless individuals, who are more than willing to help to him.
He must resist the temptation to appoint only politically correct people to appease his party foes. He needs help from people who are not scared of implementing those plans.
