South Africa's journey over the past three decades has been a significant one, particularly in terms of its transition from apartheid to democracy.
1994 was a historic and transformative period in South Africa's history, marked by important political developments, the end of apartheid, and the establishment of a new democratic government. 1994 marked a window of change, giving substance to the grip on state power.
This article explores the history and evolution of South African presidents and their legacy in a democratic system through consideration of the past three decades.
Nelson Mandela – Reconciliation and Nation Building: 1994 – 1999
Against the backdrop of white minority rule and a nation divided along racial and ethnic lines, the Nelson Mandela presidency sought to bring about an effect on the post-apartheid order: a new spirit of the Rainbow Nation. sought to redesign many state institutions to accommodate the As envisaged in the 1996 Constitution.
President Mandela's institutional development was governed by a constitutional agreement. To support the transition and lay the foundations for nation-building, the institutions upheld the principles of compromise and inclusiveness. These include sharing executive powers with both the National Party (which ruled South Africa during the apartheid era) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (a party that is said to have accused black people of black-on-black violence), which is represented in the cabinet. was.
The NP also held one of the two vice-presidential positions. Mandela's flagship policy was the Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP). This is a people-centered development strategy in which the new government aims to play an active role in society.
A fundamental restructuring to deal with racial capitalism is the pillar, giving the economy a new direction and structure.
The RDP was essentially a national macroeconomic upliftment program, but it was abandoned after two years due to insufficient economic growth to finance it and the government's inability to implement it.
It was also affected by the fact that economic growth did not go as expected. Another factor was lack of resources. The RDP Fund, allocated R2.5 billion, or 2% of the national budget, was insufficient to address the backlog in providing the poor with equal access to infrastructure and services. The RDP would be replaced by Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR), which, in contrast to the RDP, precluded any reasonable expectation of nationalization.
While the failure of the RDP reflected a lack of state capacity to manage a developmental economy that brought about structural change, the Mandela presidency focused on reconciliation, forgiveness, and establishing a democratic and inclusive South Africa. It is well remembered for this.
Thabo Mbeki – African Renaissance: 1999-2008
As Mandela moved to head of rituals, most of the day-to-day responsibilities were given to his apparent successor, Thabo Mbeki. As a result, there was no obstacle to Mbeki's election as ANC president at the 1997 national conference in Mahikeng. After Mandela's term ended in 1999, Mbeki became president.
South Africa achieved solid credentials to become a dominant continental power during the Thabo Mbeki presidency. Mbeki tenaciously sought multilateral solutions to resolve regional conflicts. He skillfully used the strategic partnership with Nigeria and his period as AU chairman in 2002-2003 to achieve his objectives.
With around 3,000 troops deployed to Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and even Darfur and Ethiopia/Eritrea, Mbeki has shown he is more willing than Mandela to send peacekeepers abroad, making him an important geostrategic player. Enhanced South Africa's reputation as a Africa.
As a champion of African Renaissance, President Mbeki played a key role in the reorganization of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU) and the transition from non-interference to indifference. Tshwane was a major meditator in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast.
Although South Africa served a two-year term on the United Nations Executive Council, with most of the Council's time devoted to peace and security in Africa and the majority of UN peacekeeping forces, South Africa also He also chaired an influential group of 77 countries. (G-77) Developing countries at the United Nations during important discussions on UN reform in 2005.
Domestically, Mbeki's rise signaled a period in which state institutions were becoming more sophisticated and sophisticated. Mr. Mbeki focused on creating national institutions to facilitate the coordination of government operations and the setting of policy implementation. As the top of the institutional hierarchy, the presidential office held great power throughout this period.It was widespread
Targeted recruitment of ANC leaders to important positions was done according to the preferences of the president within the ANC.
Other areas of impact include the establishment of the Ijimbizo system and the expansion of local government structures.
At the 2007 ANC national conference, the party split between Mr Mbeki, who was seeking a third term as ANC president, and Mr Zuma, who had been his deputy for 10 years in Luthuli House. Mbeki was defeated and recalled eight months before the end of his term when it became clear that there were two centers of power (Luthuli House, led by Zuma, and Union Buildings, led by Mbeki). .
Galema Motlanthe, who had emerged as Zuma's second-in-command in Polokwane, was chosen as interim president.
Jacob Zuma – Eastward Policy: 2009 – 2018
When the reality became clear that the majority was excluded from meaningful participation in the economy and the economy was in ruins, the Zuma government looked east and implemented a number of policy changes to reignite economic development.
The National Development Plan (NDP) was born out of the recognition that many socio-economic problems needed to be addressed and remedied if the country was to move forward from its complex past. His NDP, a blueprint for South Africa's development, was adopted by cabinet in 2012 and set out a plan to eradicate the triple threat of poverty, unemployment and inequality by 2030.
As part of this, the Zuma administration will amend the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act to give new mining and petroleum projects a 20% stake, and have the Minister of Mines designate certain minerals as strategic minerals, favorably banning their exports. I once tried to give him the authority to do so. Donations to local beneficiaries were met with fierce opposition. Internationally, Look East was a key theme of Zuma's presidency.
Most notable was Zuma's persistent efforts to forge a strategic alliance with China, which led to South Africa's elevation to Strategic Comprehensive Partner status in 2010 and successful entry into the BRICS group. This, combined with China's significant investments in strategic areas of the South African economy, has made it South Africa's largest trading partner.
The Zuma government also promoted social welfare, investing heavily in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, increasing social subsidies and defending the minimum wage, given that SA suffers from wage inequality. . Like his predecessor, Mr Zuma was recalled by Thabo Mbeki 14 months before the end of his term, i.e. after Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as ANC president in December 2017. faced with the moment. Ramaphosa was then elected president in February 2018. Until the general public in 2019
election.
The Cyril Ramaphosa Era – Thuma Mina and the Promise of a New Dawn: 2018 – Present
Cyril Ramaphosa became president of the ANC, and by extension, president of the country, on a platform of openness, transparency and the rule of law. This usually gave him political capital as it was seen as a step towards undoing the “nine wasted years”. President Ramaphosa comes at a time when South Africans are losing faith in the ability of democratic institutions to deliver dignity and opportunity, and at a time when the nation is struggling with corruption scandals and a war with itself. Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic has further worsened an already fragile economy.
One of the main ways he reorganized the government was to move the national intelligence agency into his office, a move that reflected bitter divisions within the ANC. And since he did not win an overwhelming majority in the ANC conference, he has used the policy of convenience to cooperate with his political opponents. This meant accommodating the interests of different factions within the cabinet. As a result, his period as party and government leader was somewhat directionless.
Internationally, building on the annual investment promotion hosted by the President, the President continues to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) as a key aspect of his administration's economic outlook. Like his protégé Nelson Mandela, the current president is trying to restore the country's image abroad. From championing the continent's coronavirus pandemic to leading African presidents to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war to navigating tensions between Moscow and the West in hosting the 15th BRICS summit. Since then, Ramaphosa has played an important role internationally. A shining light of what a world leader should be.
Parallel to this is Mr. Ramaphosa, who has failed to curb corruption within his party. Poverty and inequality have deepened under his leadership, and Eskom, which he has headed since 2015, is collapsing before our eyes due to rolling blackouts.
How to live in SA.
He has prioritized his global image over domestic issues, which I call the Ramaphosa of the world versus the Ramaphosa of South Africa.
Since 1994, South Africa has had four presidents: Mandela as a nation-builder and unifier, Mbeki as Africa's philosopher-king, Zuma as champion of economic transformation, and Ramaphosa as a new dawn. was born, and even though they were all members, their styles and personalities were very different. They belong to the same political party, the ANC.
South Africa's democratic presidential transition reflects the challenges and achievements of the country's transition from apartheid to democracy. Each president brought their own leadership and priorities to bear, shaping the trajectory of post-apartheid South Africa.
Vusi Gumbi is from the Institute of Pan-African Thought and Dialogue at the University of Africa.
Johannesburg.
