President a no show at Davos and no ‘family meeting’ on energy crisis

By Neil De Beer

So, a no show, or showing of his face, for our President at Davos !

The annual gathering often ball leadership, economic role players and the elite, which has always attracted world attention, will have to excuse our leading citizen, Cyril Ramaphosa.

The reason to justify our national leader’s absence, is the looming or now, damning collapse of Eskom’s supply of power to our country.

It was noted that CR would be meeting stakeholders, politicians, energy stakeholders and no doubt his own “ specialists “ to ensure this crisis is dealt with.

I am sure that in my opinion, he did not go for many reasons, apart from notably having to face the international media on now global knowledge of our demise as a nation.

I truly think that again this was an opportunity missed, to stand strong and admit that yes we are facing huge challenges, but under his leadership, we would face it as a country together.

The only huge problem with the previously mentioned opportunity is that you would need to be hugely factual, have a plan and face up to the challenge.

Well, our CR, is not known and no doubt I stand hugely corrected to love press conferences, Q and A from media and public debates with normally the stakeholders.

In Covid time, CR was absolutely seen having frequent “family meetings” and spoke or addressed the nation on how we were to behave and also the severity of love down laws.

Now that no doubt this country is faced, not with a global pandemic, but an atom bomb to the business community and citizens at large, we see very few face-to-face family meetings.

With a huge 18 % hike on energy tariffs, there was no face, then another explosion, a further 12 % next year and to seal our fate we now have stage 6 load shedding!

This country now more than ever needs, no demands strong leadership, not just to ensure that we recover the energy shock, but to calm us yes us, WE THE PEOPLE !

Should this President and the ANC, not show their face in public and calm the outcry and small indications of service delivery unrest, it is clear that CR will in 2024 have to “ face “ the citizens music !

Neil De Beer is chairman of Investment Fund Africa and a regular African Economic commentator.

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