Roelf Meyer: Ramaphosa can put South Africa back on the high road

There were many businessmen, politicians and even journalists who disengaged emotionally and some even geographically from South Africa during the Zuma years as it seemed impossible to stop corruption threatening to engulf South Africa. One of them was former National Party cabinet minister and negotiator for South Africa's new Constitution, Roelf Meyer. Following the successful diffusion of conflict in South Africa, Meyer has spent his intermittent years advising other strife torn areas in the world on conflict resolution. He is currently advising Myanmar. When Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as President, he however decided to re-engage and has offered to spearhead a channel between the business community and the Presidency to accelerate growth in the country. He is a firm believer that Ramaphosa can turn the country around. – Linda van Tilburg

There were two chief negotiators on either side of the Codesa talks at Kempton Park during negotiations for South Africa's new future in the 90s that made history as they lay the foundations for the country's post-apartheid constitution. They were Cyril Ramaphosa, chosen by Nelson Mandela to lead the negotiations for the ANC and its alliance members, and Roelf Meyer chosen by FW de Klerk who negotiated for the National Party. When things got rough, when talks broke down after acrimonious exchanges between De Klerk and Mandela, the two negotiators who had struck up an unlikely friendship kept a channel open and managed to get negotiations back on track. Now Ramaphosa is president and has in many respects a much tougher task than Mandela had. After almost a decade of corruption and looting under Zuma rule, his old negotiation partner and friend Roelf Meyer has come out in support of Ramaphosa. He told the Cape Town Press Club that he firmly backs Ramaphosa, because Ramaphosa won't let South Africa follow the example of Venezuela and Zimbabwe. So I'm so chuffed today to have Roelf Meyer talking to Biznews. So Roelf, tell us why are you backing Ramaphosa now?

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