There is one respect in which Cyril Ramaphosa could learn from US President Donald Trump's administration. Trump — boisterous as he is — does not shy away from media scrutiny and volunteers himself for questioning even if what is often quoted can be viewed as misinformation.
To date, Trump and spokesperson Karoline Leavitt have appeared before the media on almost a weekly basis to emphasise and drive the administration, as unpopular as it may be to the world and some domestic quarters.
One could attribute this style to the recent polling by the US's most trusted news agencies, CNN and NBC, which revealed that Trump was faring better in approval ratings than his first term in office.
The polls have indicated the Democrats — possibly South Africa's closest allies in Washington — are falling from favour while the Trump administration seems to have maintained its support.
Too often Ramaphosa would talk at the media and not to the media, leaving this vital pillar of democracy immobile.
According to a poll by NBC, Trump’s approval rating is his best-ever as president at 47%, though the majority — 51% — disapproves of his performance. According to the NBC poll, the margin is closer than at almost any point during his first term.
Unlike the Ramaphosa administration and the ANC, Trump seems to have maintained his base. While there are questions about his economic policy, with polling suggesting he lacks the confidence of the US voter, Trump is making inroads with a 47% job approval rating and a personal favourable rating at 46%. The NBC poll also suggests 44% of Americans believe the country is on the right track.
In our part of the world February polls by the Social Research Foundation suggest the ANC's support has dropped to 32%. Reports from the SRF suggest a significant chunk of its voter base are now free agents, dissatisfied with the ANC and uncertain about their future voting intentions.
One can fault Trump in many respects, but his ability to engage the US media is not one of them. Though his ambition to impose sanctions against progressive or left-leaning media outlets is still a far cry from our own government.
During the height of Covid-19, the South African media looked on with envy as Trump held back-to-back media briefings which at times provided comic relief in an otherwise sombre moment in world history.
His counterpart in South Africa left much to be desired. Calls for Ramaphosa to respect the free press's obligation to inform the public were at an all-time high during this period.
In 2021 the South African National Editors' Forum wrote an open letter to Ramaphosa appealing for him to be more transparent with the media. The organisation, a steward of media rights, pointed to discrepancies in the Ramaphosa administration's media strategy when addressing the nation.
Too often Ramaphosa would talk at the media and not to the media, leaving this vital pillar of democracy immobile.
While Ramaphosa has made some improvements, his administration loosened the screws on gatekeeping the president, but he still needs to be more transparent in his government.
While Trump has maintained his base despite having failed to gain voter confidence in his policy direction, his open engagement with the media helps his appeal and allows the public to determine for itself what is on offer from its elected president.
Ramaphosa needs to do the same. The GNU and the recent spats with the Trump administration are an indictment of the divisions that still encapsulate our society. To a large degree, South Africa mirrors the US in this regard. For Ramaphosa to improve support for the ANC, he must be able to do the work and be seen to be doing the work.
Whether he likes it or not, the media is a component of our democracy he cannot continue to ignore.
For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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