Published Opinion in The Star of 08 February 2023 on page 8

 SONA is chance to see and hear president come clean

Parliament is the only platform where the president can account to the people. The people will now have the opportunity to finally hear and see him account.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been running the country like it is a business. He has been calling family meetings on TV like a chairperson of a company calls shareholders' meeting. This is new to South African politics.

Former presidents rarely addressed people on TV. Former president Thabo Mbeki only addressed people on TV once: when he was recalled and wanted to explain his decision to pursue the arms deal prosecution against Jacob Zuma and clarify the Nicholson judgment that withdrew the prosecution. Zuma addressed people twice: when he apologised for being mistaken about Thuli Madonsela's remedial action in the Nkandla report and when he resigned. They had only one reason for addressing the people and that was to account.

We now have Ramaphosa who calls meetings to tell us what to do, wear a mask, wash your hands, do not go to this or that place, be home at this time... like a chairperson giving orders, and yet fails to do one thing that the people have been used to - seeing their president account to them.

Since the Phala Phala scandal, he has not called a family meeting, not even about Eskom. Instead he went to an ANC meeting to account to them and they all voted against his impeachment except Lindiwe Sisulu, who was absent, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Supra Mahumapelo.

Some may think the president did not do anything wrong but a crime can also be committed when a person does not act positively. The people deserve an explanation from the president and expect to hear answers on Thursday.