Beyond a great speech‚ this is Ramaphosa’s big test

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inspired and inspiring state of the nation speech was the rallying cry South Africans needed.

But now the hard work begins.

Ramaphosa's cabinet will be key to his success or failure. We all know who should go. Mosebenzi Zwane is not just an incompetent‚ he is a criminal. Des van Rooyen and Lynne Brown are nothing but Gupta employees. They should go.

Bathabile Dlamini‚ Malusi Gigaba and David Mahlobo have nothing to show – except scandal and sloth – for their years in cabinet.

A Cabinet of the Capable will be nothing without a finance minister who is committed‚ knowledgeable‚ talented and trusted by the people and the markets. Ramaphosa has to decide whether the young‚ energetic‚ politically talented Gupta stooge that is Gigaba is rehabilitable‚ or he fires him. He should do the latter‚ but it is possible he won’t. He would be doing himself a huge disfavour.

Ramaphosa has inspired the country over the past two months. His cabinet choices have the potential to begin the turnaround that this country has so desperately craved.

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