The Civil Engineering Contractor March 2018 | Page 3

COMMENT Cautiously Cyril Kim Kemp - editor [email protected] warm welcome in Switzerland: “We have never been so warmly received. We came carrying a message of unity, promotion of foreign direct investment, and to tell the world that South Africa is open for business,” he said. We all hope that this atmosphere of cooperation, putting an end to corruption, and instilling investor confidence will continue past the bloom of enthusiasm at the ANC president’s first international airing. With Cyril at the helm, maybe we can at last regain the lost confidence in the country’s leadership? nn T here is absolutely no doubt that with the possible ejection of President Zuma, pre-2019 elections on the books, and the appointment of Cyril Ramaphosa as new president of the ANC, business confidence is picking up. One cannot help but compare the urbane, articulate, literate, and dignified Ramaphosa with dancing, bumbling, stumbling — and far from literate — Zuma. I include myself among hundreds of thousands of South Africans who would personally welcome the former as the leader of the country, someone of whom we can be proud to call Mr President, while I shudder at the present ignominious place-holder. Master of manipulation and populist of the poor, Zuma’s antics and corrupt stranglehold on the country’s growth have brought this once proud nation to its knees, with foreign investment fleeing from our shores faster than Grace Mugabe can swipe a credit card.Ramaphosa’s showing at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, in January, ensured that South Africa could again be taken seriously. The South African delegation returned home with a “bag full of investment commitments”, according to Ramaphosa. He added that many of the business leaders at the summit indicated that they “are buoyed by this new mood in the country”. The investing world is looking for a clear, positive and forward-looking message. A message that relays confidence and counters the years of shenanigans and corrupt wheeling and dealing that the government has embarked on during Zuma’s tenure in office. While Ramaphosa was in Davos, the rand strengthened to 11.79 against the dollar — its best level since 2015. This comes on the back of assurances from South African government officials about ending corruption; repairing state-owned enterprises and the health of public finances; maintaining key institutional strengths; and promoting economic growth, according to Investec economist, Annabel Bishop. CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), Bonang Mohale, said the South Africa delegation received an unexpectedly Deputy President of South Africa and president of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa has renewed international confidence in South Africa after his presentation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “International investors have demonstrated that South Africa is still an important destination for investment. In all the meetings we have had, we have had nothing negative that has been said about our country. All we have had is encouragement.” – Cyril Ramaphosa at Davos CEC March 2018 - 1