How world sees SA: Good president, bad ruling party

EDINBURGH — Headlines about industrial-scale corruption and global money-laundering by Jacob Zuma's family and friends mask the grave reality of life in a dysfunctional state. As The Economist notes, eight out of 10 children nearing the end of their primary school years cannot read or understand a simple sentence. No-one trusts the police, either. This influential business and finance magazine largely blames Zuma for these "lost years". It urges its South African readers to support President Cyril Ramaphosa at the polling stations next month. This is in acknowledgement that Ramaphosa is not your typical 21st century ANC leader; he doesn't have his hands in the proverbial cooky jar and seems intent on working in the national interest rather than self-interest. Ramaphosa has already demonstrated his commitment to rebuilding South Africa, with commissions of inquiry into state capture and graft starting to weed out graft-tainted comrades. – Jackie Cameron

By Thulasizwe Sithole

To stop the rot in South Africa, back Cyril Ramaphosa, says influential magazine The Economist. It summarises the ruling party as follows: "Good man, bad party."

"The liberal opposition cannot win an election on May 8th. So it is up to the president to clean up his own party's mess," its editors comment.

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