Ramaphosa’s struggle with neoliberalism and corruption

President Cyril Ramaphosa's tenure in South Africa has been shaped by a careful balancing act between economic reform and political preservation.

- DR BALUNGILE ZONDI

On one hand, his administration has leaned into market-friendly policies aimed at attracting investment and stabilising public finances, reflecting a clear tilt towards neoliberal economic principles.

However, this approach has often come at the expense of social spending, exacerbating public frustration in a country already struggling with deep inequality and record-high unemployment.

At the same time, Ramaphosa’s leadership has been marked by a consistent tendency towards appeasement, particularly within the fractious dynamics of the ruling ANC. Rather than decisively confronting corruption or pushing through bold reforms, he has often chosen negotiation and consensus-building to maintain internal party stability.

While this strategy has helped preserve the fragile unity of the ANC in the short term, it has also contributed to policy inertia and a growing sense of public disillusionment.

As a result, South Africa remains caught between a reform agenda that struggles to gain momentum and a political environment resistant to disruption, leaving the country’s broader transformation incomplete.

Within the context of the Government of National Unity (GNU) formation, these dynamics take on even greater significance. The GNU, composed of multiple political parties with divergent ideologies and priorities, demands a leadership style that emphasises compromise and coalition management.

For Ramaphosa, this reinforces his instinct towards appeasement, as maintaining the fragile unity of the GNU may require avoiding hardline positions or bold, disruptive reforms. However, this also risks deepening the perception of indecisiveness at a time when the country needs urgent economic and institutional transformation.