Oh, how naive we were to believe that Cyril Ramaphosa could actually save us from this downward spiral of a country. The people of South Africa rallied behind him, hoping against hope that he would miraculously fix all the messes that his own party had created. But alas, it seems like nothing more than wishful thinking now. Ramaphosa was just another puppet in the political circus, promising change but delivering nothing but disappointment. We should have known better than to put our faith in yet another politician who claims to have our best interests at heart.

By Themba Khumalo

It is utterly perplexing and beyond comprehension how people could be so deluded as to believe that Cyril Ramaphosa, the self-proclaimed saviour to the disgraceful Jacob Zuma, has managed to make any substantial headway in rectifying the abysmal state of social and economic affairs.

Take the state of municipalities as a prime example; they are the epitome of unmitigated catastrophe. If anything, these supposed bastions of local governance have deteriorated even further over the past decade. Rather than fulfilling their duty of providing essential services and enhancing the lives of citizens, these local governments have instead transformed into breeding grounds for rampant corruption, staggering incompetence, and gross mismanagement.

But let’s not stop there – the rot extends far beyond just local government. State-owned enterprises, those supposed pillars of our economy, are crumbling alarmingly under Ramaphosa’s watch. These entities, which were once intended to stimulate economic growth and provide essential services to South Africans, are now nothing more than money-draining sinkholes. Mismanagement, corruption, and ineptitude have become synonymous with these so-called “enterprises” as they haemorrhage public funds without any accountability or consequence.

The sad reality is that Ramaphosa’s leadership has proven to be nothing but a facade – a smoke screen designed to mask the deep-rooted issues plaguing our country. While he may put on a polished smile and deliver eloquent speeches about hope and prosperity, the truth is that little has changed under his reign. In fact, one could argue that things have only gone from bad to worse.

South Africa needs more than just empty promises and superficial gestures of progress. We need leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and tackle the systemic issues head-on. We need individuals who are unafraid to take responsibility for their actions and prioritise the needs of their fellow citizens over personal gain.

So, let us not be fooled by the illusion of progress.

Our country, once lauded as a beacon of hope and progress in Africa, has devolved into a nightmarish realm of dysfunction and despair. The grotesque reality of this nation can no longer be ignored or sugar-coated with empty promises of redemption. With a government paralysed by corruption and incompetence, South Africans now find themselves trapped in an inescapable cycle of degradation.

The perpetual power outages that afflict this nation are not just inconvenient inconveniences; they are glaring manifestations of the systemic decay that is devouring South Africa from within. As the lights flicker and plunge entire communities into darkness, so too does the flickering flame of hope for a better future for its citizens. The once-burgeoning economy now stumbles along a treacherous path, hindered by dilapidated infrastructure that crumbles under the weight of neglect and mismanagement.

Freight railways and ports, once the lifeline of economic prosperity, have become nothing more than ghostly relics. Instead of facilitating trade and commerce, they now serve as haunting reminders of South Africa’s descent into irrelevance on the global stage. Like abandoned warehouses filled with broken dreams, these decaying facilities echo with a chorus of lost opportunities and shattered aspirations.

The incompetence and negligence exhibited by the ANC in managing the provincial health departments of the country are truly shocking. For far too long, we have witnessed a continuous cycle of crises, with new MECs and department heads failing to bring about any meaningful change. Instead, there has been a steady decline in the quality of governance, which has adversely impacted people’s access to basic necessities such as medication and food in hospitals. It is truly disheartening to see such a lack of accountability and disregard for the well-being of the population.

Behind the walls of our schools lurks a horrifying reality. In the less illuminated areas of South Africa, where our children pursue knowledge, a malevolent force looms. A silent crisis engulfs us, as our education system plunges into an abyss of failure. Terrifyingly, our country holds the infamous title of possessing one of the world’s worst-performing education systems. This unsettling reality must send shivers down our collective spine, as we come to terms with the fact that the country’s prospects are being engulfed by this alarming predicament.

A global research initiative, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS),  revealed that a staggering 80% of primary school learners in the country struggle with reading by the tender age of ten. This distressing statistic paints a bleak picture for the future of these young minds, as they are already lagging behind their peers from 57 other nations. South Africa’s abysmal ranking at the very bottom of the PIRLS results serves as a harsh reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and drastic improvements within our nation’s educational framework.

So believe me when I say the magnitude of the impending disaster is impossible to overstate. It is a slow-motion catastrophe unfolding before our very eyes, leaving no room for optimism or denial. South Africa’s fate has been sealed by the very hands entrusted with safeguarding its future. The pitiful state in which it finds itself today is a testament to the complete erosion of moral integrity and leadership qualities once believed to be inherent within this nation’s DNA.

In this dystopian wasteland where chaos reigns supreme, hope seems like an antiquated notion reserved for those foolish enough to believe in mirages. The dire consequences extend far beyond simple inconvenience or disillusionment; they permeate every aspect of South African society like a poison seeping into the very fabric of its existence. The future, once bright and full of promise, now appears tragically bleak.

As South Africa hurtles towards its catastrophic downfall, there is no room for complacency or apathy. It is time to confront the painful reality that this once-promising nation has become a cautionary tale of corruption, incompetence, and decay. The images conjured by the mention of South Africa are no longer those of a vibrant and thriving land; they are instead indelibly marked by desolation and despair. The hourglass is almost empty, and the sands of self-destruction continue to slip away.