The South African Political landscape

Confusion, Cynicism, and Policy Failure

South African political landscape is plagued with challenges that merely are a result of policy making missteps. Our politics are characterized by narratives that aim to confuse citizens, delay processes, and divert public attention. The intersection of ambiguous messaging, ineffective implementations, and the alarming growth of public cynicism has led to a uncertain relationship between the state and it’s citizens. This dynamic is incredibly highlighted by a recent incident involving President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statements on the Visa application process for Nigerian nationals and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s ambiguous migration policies.

Presidents Ramaphosa’s Visa remarks: a case study on Misdirection

In December 2024, during the South African-Nigeria Bi-National Commission, President Ramaphosa announced changes to Visa application procedures for Nigerian tourists, and businesspeople , introducing a more simplified process, claiming that they could apply for Visas or be granted Visas without the need to submit their physical passports. The remarks interpreted by many as allowing Nigerians to enter South Africa without passports was met with reasonable public confusion and backlash. The presidency the later provided clarification on this policy stating that applicants need to only submit certified copies of their passport bio-pages during the visa application process, with physical passports only required upon approval of the Visa application. Some critics argue that such policies could worsen existing social tensions between South Africans and foreign nationals, particularly in marginalized communities. This backlash was exacerbated by existing grievances, including the following:

1. Economic competition in small scale trading: Many South Africans in impoverished communities believe foreign nationals dominate small-scale trading sectors. Often selling substandard or sometimes harmful goods, thus jeopardizing local livelihoods. Reports from various municipalities such as the eThekwini and Johannesburg municipalities have highlighted the ongoing crackdowns on expired and counterfeit food products, with foreign owned stores frequently implicated in these scandals.

2. Existing Xenophobic sentiment: In a country already characterized by division and extreme dissatisfaction towards existing immigration policies and implementation to protect citizens from harm. Statements like the one president Ramaphosa made, even when later clarified, deepen these existing divides. The presidency’s explanation came too late to prevent widespread misinterpretation. This highlights the need for effective communication in the first place.

These events highlight a problematic trend in South African politics: an apparent reliance on ambiguity to mask the shortcomings of policies, divert attention or even delay action. In a context like this, leaders exploit the public’s confusion to deflect from their systematic failures, such as ineffective immigration policy enforcements or inadequate local economic development.

EFF’s Migration Policies: Idealism VS Political reality

The EFF’s open border policy, while deeply rooted in Pan-African solidarity and ideologies, has contributed to the decline of voter confidence in the EFF. In advocating for the free movement of Africans, the party deviated from addressing legitimate public concerns.

1. Competition for resources: South Africans, especially those impoverished areas, have a reasonable fear that the unrestricted migration would overwhelm already scarce public services and exacerbate unemployment in the country. With youth unemployment alarmingly above 60%, EFF’s failure to reconcile it’s ideological beliefs with practical socio-economic realities alienated potential supporters.

2. Ambiguity: The EFF failed to provide a clear framework for how this open border policy would function in harmony with economic and social stability. This lack of clarity has then allowed opposing parties to frame this policy as reckless, thus further eroding public trust.

This failure of the EFF has highlighted critical gap in South African politics: the disconnect between leaders’ ideological ambitions and the practical needs of our nation that is already grappling with inequality, staggering rates of unemployment, and strained public services.

Policy Implementation: a structural failure

The issues highlighted by Ramaphosa’s statement and EFF’s policies are symptoms of deeper systematic flaws. Some of those are:

1.) Ambiguous Communication:

South African leaders frequently use vague and contradictory language, intentionally leaving citizens confused about the true intentions of government. This confusion breeds distrust and fosters suspicion. An example of this would be president Ramaphosa’s Energy Action Plan in 2022: During South Africa’s energy crisis President Ramaphosa announced measures to tackle this crisis promising to “end loadshedding” through interventions such as opening up the energy market and securing private investment in renewable energy. While this plan seemed quite comprehensive, it’s language lacked specificality regarding timelines, funding mechanisms, and measurable targets. To add on, despite these promises loadshedding persisted at record high levels in 2023 & 2024, leaving the public with reasonably skeptical about government’s ability to deliver. This vagueness allowed the government to claim progress in addressing the problem by pointing to small-scale projects or pilot programs while in fact avoiding accountability for failing to stabilize the grid. Another instance that highlights this ambiguity problem is the African National Congress (ANC)’s stance on corruption. The ANC frequently asserts a “zero tolerance policy on corruption.” For instance, Ramaphosa has repeatedly said corrupt individuals in the party would be met with consequences. While making all these claims the party has been inconsistent in applying this principle. Many high-profile figures in government that have been implemented in corruption, remain active in politics or are reinstated after brief suspensions or are simply shuffled to different positions in government. This is evident in the recent swap of Justice Minister Thembi Simelane and Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi despite Minister Simelane’s alleged implication in the VBS scandal she is said to have handsomely benefitted from Gundo Investments that is linked to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal/collapse. These statements have instilled confusion among citizens as the rhetoric of accountability contradicts the party’s actions.

2.) Delayed processes and Attention Diversion Tactics:

Bureaucratic inefficiency and pollical stagnation often slow down critical policy implementation. For example, the National Development Plan, (NDP)2030 largely remains unfulfilled, with key objectives like alleviating poverty and inequality far off track. Leaders often divert public attention to symbolic issues to avoid addressing structural challenges. The persistence of battles within the ANC exemplifies how internal power struggles can overshadow national priorities. For instance, Jacob Zuma’s Radical Economic Transformation (RET). In his presidency Zuma faced hefty allegations of state capture and to deflect attention from these allegations he promoted RET as a core policy. In terms of actionable steps RET was never really defined, but it became an attempt to deflect attention from scandals surrounding the Gupta Family and looting of state-owned enterprises. Zuma’s critics were framed as enemies of progress and transformation, diverting public attention from government failures. This strategy divided public opinion leading to internal battles within the ANC that persist till this day. The EFF’s National Shutdown in 2023 also highlighted attention diversion. In 2023 the EFF organized a national Shutdown, claiming it was to demand an immediate resignation from President Cyril Ramaphosa. They highlighted issues like unemployment and poverty. This shutdown then became more about the EFF asserting it’s political relevance rather than addressing these pressing systematic issues. Their failure to provide tangible policy proposals or actual solutions lead to the shift of attention from practical governance to performative demonstrations. Public discourse focused on the disruptions caused by these protests rather than addressing the long-term economic challenges faced by the country.

The threat of Cynicism and Apathy to our Democracy:

Growing cynicism towards political leaders and institutions in South Africa is a major concern and a threat to our democracy. This attitude, while understandable considering our current political landscape, poses great risks:

1. Threat to democratic engagement: When citizens lose faith in the political process and institutions, voter turnout significantly declines, and public engagement and participation declines. The 2024 National elections saw the lowest turnouts since the first democratic elections in 1994 signalling a worrying trend.

2. Institutional distrust: Cynicism undermines confidence in public institutions such as Parliament and the Judiciary framing them as untrustworthy and inadequate. This skepticism towards public institutions paves a way for populist rhetorics and and sometimes even breeds authoritarian tendencies that exploit public disillusionment.

3. Apathy as an obstacle to change: Cynicism is a breeding ground for apathy, which in return allows systemic issues to persist unchecked. Without active public participations accountability mechanisms are weakened, perpetuating cycles of poor government and policy making.

Public Service: Is it a duty or benevolent act?

A frequently recurring theme in the South African political landscape is the framing of public service as a benevolent act or a Favor rather than a constitutional duty. Leaders often frame basic service delivery such as repairing roads, providing housing, or addressing crimes as these extraordinary acts that deserve the most gratitude and puts the public in debt to them which should then be repaid with loyalty. This obscures the reality that these acts are fundamental constitutional duties of public servants outlined in the Constitution. Section 195 of the Constitution mandates that public administration be governed by principles of accountability, transparency, and efficient service delivery. However, failures to deliver these services in sectors like Education, Healthcare, and Municipal governance reflect a deviation from these constitutional principles. For example, in 2023 ANC officials in Limpopo celebrated the building of pit latrines in rural schools. This was framed as a monumental achievement despite South Africa’s constitution clearly guaranteeing access to adequate sanitation as a basic human right. This reinforces the idea that citizens should appreciate the bare minimum service delivery, undermining the expectations for an efficient government. Operation Dubula also highlights the tendency of leaders doing the bare minimum. Politicians from various parties have praised citizen-led programs such as operation Dubula “taking action against undocumented migrants” instead of actually addressing the systematic errors in immigration and labor laws, these leaders used this movement to appear responsive, basically framing the state’s abdication of responsibility as being to empower citizens.

A Way Forward: Reclaiming Accountability

Addressing these challenges in our political landscape require a multifaceted approach. Transparent communication is the first step to addressing these issues. Leaders and Politicians must articulate themselves and their policies clearly and truthfully, avoiding being vague or misdirecting the public. Another component to addressing these challenges is effective policy design and implementation. It is very important that policies be evidence-based, inclusive, and align with constitutional values. Ensuring active civic participation and engagement in political matters. Citizens must resist cynicism and apathy; by avoiding these destructive tendencies they are able to hold leaders accountable through democratic participation and advocacy. Politicians must embrace their role as custodians of public trust and prioritize the welfare of citizens over political expediency and in doing so reshape public service as the constitutional duty it is.

The challenges faced by South Africa’s political landscape are deeply rooted in systemic inefficiencies, ideological contradictions, and a culture of miscommunication with the intention to misdirect and confuse. The issues of economic inequality, immigration, and governance that South Africa faces are complex matters, addressing them requires a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and civic engagement. The dangers of apathy, cynicism and confusion cannot be ignored. They breed erosion of the foundations of our democracy and deeply perpetuate cycles of distrust and inefficient governance. By creating a political landscape that values clarity, responsibility, and civic engagement, South Africa can move closer to embracing the radiant vision enshrined in it's revered Constitution, ensuring a brighter tomorrow.