Captain: President Cyril Ramaphosa will not save the ANC and may instead be presiding over a sinking ship, argues the writer. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
In the maritime tradition, there is an old saying: “The captain goes down with the ship”, suggesting that, in the event of an emergency at sea, it is the captain who bears the ultimate responsibility to save the ship and those on board or die trying.
This metaphor is used in this article to offer a balanced assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reformist ambitions and political shortcomings during his tenure as president of the African National Congress (ANC).
Ramaphosa was elected at the ANC’s 54th National Conference in 2017 to become president in what many observers characterised as a significant moment in South Africa’s political history.
Just a year before his presidency, in 2016, discussions about state capture emerged across social media and mainstream platforms. “The Capture of the State” became the focal point of debate in South Africa’s political arena.
