As one of the top global hotspots for the coronavirus, South Africa has taken a hit with an economy in tatters. With its Covid caseload dropping gradually, the country will return to some form of normalcy from Tuesday in an attempt to salvage businesses and maintain livelihoods.



“The move to Level 2 means we can remove nearly all of the restrictions on the resumption of economic activity across most industries,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced to the nation in a televized address at the weekend.



From tomorrow, August 18, the country will shift gear to the new reality. &nbsp;



It’s a move the restaurant industry welcomes with open arms – and open tables.



The advancement to Level 2 means that the controversial suspension of alcohol sales has been lifted. Although the curfew remains more or less the same, from 10PM to 4AM, lifting the alcohol ban does add some relief to licensed establishments, such as restaurants and pubs, which can now at least attempt to start salvaging what is left of their businesses.



“There is a bit of light at the end of a very dark and long tunnel with regards to the fact that we can now sell alcohol. The curfew is still not late enough but this is still a win,” says founder and CEO of the Rockets Group, Sean Barber, to FORBES AFRICA.



The Rockets Group, with 12 establishments across South Africa, was one of the restaurants most affected. In mid-July, it was forced to temporarily close its biggest branch in one of Gauteng’s most opulent residential suburbs, Bryanston. This was because it generated most of its revenue through the sale of alcohol. But Level 2 means it can now reopen.



“It’s not going to be easy and it is going to cause some damage but definitely not as much damage as before,” Barber says.



Other restaurants, however, are not as optimistic. The Irish Pub franchise, The Brazen Head, endured the burden of Covid-19 from the beginning as it remained closed since the announcement of the first lockdown in March. It only predicts a reopening in September.



“Just because they have lifted the alcohol ban does not mean it is going to work out for us,” says The Brazen Head’s owner Ralph Rojahn. “I can already tell you that they are contradicting themselves by saying we can serve alcohol but the curfew starts at 10PM. This means that actually I can only serve alcohol until about 8PM to 9PM so that my staff can be home by 10PM.”



Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) CEO Wendy Alberts says the hard lockdown has put a strain on several restaurants in South Africa that have had to permanently close their doors.&nbsp;



RASA ran a survey in which 23,000 restaurants across South Africa participated. Of that, 30% stated they have closed their doors while 50% said they do not know if they will be able to reopen due to massive overheads and debt.



“I am very heartsore for those restaurants that have lost their businesses and staff that have lost their jobs. So although this appears to be a win, there actually is no win in this space because people have lost, and people have been hurt,” Alberts says.



When Ramaphosa announced on June 17 that restaurants would be allowed to reopen under an “advanced” Level 3 lockdown, allowing for businesses to operate normally but with strict safety measurements in place, this was the hope the industry needed to save jobs and the industry as a whole.



However, plans changed quickly when the president announced on July 12 that alcohol sales would be immediately banned and that the curfew was back, leaving many restaurateurs in dire straits again.



“I know that the pandemic has shattered our industry and put all of us in deep economic trouble but the one thing I know about each and every person in the restaurant industry in South Africa is that you are incredible, you are amazing, and I have such respect for your fight and willpower to keep pushing through,” Alberts says.



The Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) also welcomed the re-opening of the sale of alcohol under Alert Level 2 of the lockdown, especially for restaurants, bars, and taverns.



According to BASA’s data, from March 27 to May 31, 8,000 licensed taverns and 30% of craft breweries have been left bankrupt. A further 15% craft breweries and thousands more taverns have had to shut down permanently due to the second ban in July.



“Therefore critical that we do not ever have a repeat of the situation we had on 12 July 2020, where an immediate ban on the legal trade in alcohol was announced – without the industry being given any prior warning or opportunity to engage,” Patricia Pillay, BASA CEO, says.



The advancement to Level 2 means South Africans can now also buy cigarettes after a five-month ban following the announcement of the National State of Disaster on March 23.



“We can now smoke cigarettes but we must not share them,” said Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at a media briefing on August 17.



Tobacco company Philip Morris South Africa has welcomed the government’s decision to lift the ban on tobacco products and e-cigarettes, as it will be reopening its 24 IQOS retail stores.



The following facilities may also now reopen under Level 2 but are limited to only 50 people at a time: gyms, health facilities, casinos, cinemas and theaters.



Social gatherings such as weddings and funerals are now allowed but again limited to 50 people.



Interprovincial travel is now permitted, but international travel is still prohibited. Local tourism is open for business.



But there are still questions on the safety of advancing to Level 2. The concerns stem from the fact that South Africa has the fifth-highest number of <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?p=43281">confirmed cases</a> on the global list of countries with the most infections.



Moreover, the State of Disaster was set to lapse on June 15, and Dlamini-Zuma extended it to September 15, to allow the government to continue to respond to “the threat of the virus to public health, the healthcare system, and the economy”.



“When we further open the economy it doesn’t mean that the risks are lower, it just means that we are trying to balance people’s livelihoods by opening the economy,” said Dlamini-Zuma.



Ramaphosa sounded hopeful, though, as he stated in his address that the country is making progress in its fight to mitigate the spread of the virus.



“Over the last three weeks, the number of new confirmed cases has dropped from a peak of over 12,000 a day to an average over the past week of around 5,000 a day. The recovery rate from coronavirus has risen from 48% at the time of my last address and now stands at 80%,” he said.



“We have proven our resilience as a nation over the past five months. The task before us now is to apply the same energies with which we have battled this pandemic to the economic recovery effort.”

Cyril-Ramaphosa_GL

Mixed Feelings As South Africa Enters Level 2 Of Lockdown

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation announcing that the government will further ease the country&#8217;s lockdown restrictions.



Restaurants, beauty salons, cinemas are among the businesses that will be allowed to operate again in South Africa.



The country is still on lockdown ‘Level 3’ of the government&#8217;s “risk adjusted strategy”.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">South Africa remains at lockdown level 3, but additional sectors of our economy will now be allowed to reopen – as long as strict measures are in place to ensure physical distancing &amp; personal hygiene. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/lyNAqCUOdv">pic.twitter.com/lyNAqCUOdv</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273319508019724288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Containing COVID-19 is our collective responsibility. As we cautiously ease lockdown restrictions, it is vital that South Africans remain engaged, co-operate with others &amp; observe the regulations in place to protect public health. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVP2gHUiSv">pic.twitter.com/aVP2gHUiSv</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273321633491628033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">As more sectors of our economy reopen, our continued success in curbing the rate of COVID-19 infections depends on responsible behaviour. Social distancing, the use of masks &amp; certain restrictions on movement must remain part of our daily lives. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rh9u5Btjhd">pic.twitter.com/Rh9u5Btjhd</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273321971607113728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Restrictions on most public gatherings will remain in place at this stage of the lockdown to protect the community and reduce the spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> infection. <a href="https://t.co/FZ59w3TdGn">pic.twitter.com/FZ59w3TdGn</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273322726464372736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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President Ramaphosa also spoke on the gender based violence in the country. 



&#8220;It is with the heaviest of hearts that I stand before the women and the girls of South Africa this evening to talk about another pandemic that is raging in our country. The killing of women and children by the men of our country. As a man, as a husband, and as a father to daughters, I am appalled at what is no less than a war that is being waged against the women and the children of our country,&#8221; says Ramaphosa. 



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa</a> is addressing South Africans tonight as our country continues to fight the coronavirus. A critical focus for government at this time is on our effort to protect girls &amp; women from sexual &amp; gender-based violence during this outbreak. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/P48Pcz0R6H">pic.twitter.com/P48Pcz0R6H</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273323699236732931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Watch below:



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa</a> addresses the nation on South Africa&#39;s risk-adjusted strategy to managing the spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusSA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Level3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Level3</a> <a href="https://t.co/W8sAT1Z4f0">https://t.co/W8sAT1Z4f0</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273314734071111680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Covid-19: Restaurants, Beauty Salons, Cinemas Among Businesses That Will Operate Again In South Africa As Ramaphosa Announces Eased Lockdown Restrictions

Ramaphosa

The Sale Of Alcohol Will Be Allowed In South Africa As Country Moves To Level 3 Of Lockdown On 1st June, Cigarettes Still Prohibited

#Coronavirus: Ramaphosa Says ‘Kissing A Thing Of The Past’ As He Announces Level 3 For Most Of South Africa At The End Of May

While addressing the nation, South Africa&#8217;s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an implementation of a &#8220;risk adjusted strategy&#8221; through which the government will &#8220;take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions&#8221;. 



Ramaphosa announced the country will begin a gradual and phased recovery of economic activity. The president further stated that there will be a national level and separate levels for each province, district and metro in the country to &#8220;ensure that our response to the pandemic can be as precise and targeted as possible&#8221;. 



The country is currently at Level 5, which the president says &#8220;requires a full national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus&#8221;. This will end at the end of April. Level 4 will begin on May 1st. 



Levels explained below:



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44623" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-80x80.jpg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Read the full speech below:



STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON SOUTH AFRICA’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, UNION BUILDINGS, TSHWANE



My Fellow South Africans,



It has been exactly seven weeks since the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in our country.



Since then, all our lives have changed in fundamental ways.



As a nation we have been forced to take aggressive action against an invisible enemy that threatened our lives and the lives of our loved ones.



We have been forced to adapt to a new way of living, in a short space of time.



As we enter the fifth week of an unprecedented nation-wide lockdown – and as we look to the future – we should remember why we are here.



The novel coronavirus, which was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, has spread rapidly across the world.



To date, over 2.6 million confirmed cases have been reported worldwide.



The actual number of people infected is likely to be far higher.



The coronavirus causes the disease known as COVID-19, a respiratory illness for which humans currently have no immunity and for which there is no known cure.



The coronavirus is passed from person to person in small droplets from the nose and mouth that can be transmitted by direct contact, on surfaces we touch or when an infected person coughs or sneezes when they are close to another person.



Most infected people exhibit only mild symptoms; some do not show any symptoms at all.



But there are people who develop severe symptoms and require hospitalisation.



These are usually older people and those who suffer from underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer.



For some of these people, COVID-19 is fatal.



Across the world, more than 185,000 people have succumbed to the disease.



Here in South Africa, at least 75 people have lost their lives.



Because the coronavirus can spread so rapidly through a population, it can overwhelm even the best-resourced health system within a matter of weeks.



This is what has occurred in many countries across the world, and it is precisely what we, as South Africa, have gone to great lengths to prevent.



Very few health systems across the world – if any – are prepared for a sudden and exponential increase in people requiring treatment for a severe respiratory illness.



As a result, if the virus spreads too quickly, there are not enough hospital beds, intensive care units, ventilators, personal protection equipment or medicine for everyone who needs them.



To make matters worse, people who are suffering from other conditions or need emergency procedures are unable to get the care they need.



And in such circumstances, many lives that could have been saved, are lost.



I am reiterating these basic facts – which by now are probably familiar to many of you – because they explain the actions we have taken to date and they inform the measures I am announcing this evening.



From the moment we declared the coronavirus pandemic to be a national disaster on Sunday 15 March, our objective was to delay the spread of the virus.



We have sought to avoid a massive surge in infections and an uncontrollable increase in the number of people needing medical care.



Our approach has been based on the principles of social distancing, restriction of movement and stringent basic hygiene practices.



By delaying the spread of the virus, we have had time to prepare our health facilities and mobilise some of the essential medical supplies needed to meet the inevitable increase in infections.



And it is in so doing, that we hope to save tens of thousands of lives.



There is clear evidence that the lockdown has been working.



Together with the other measures we have taken – such as closing our borders – and the changes in behaviour that each of us has made, the lockdown has slowed the progression of the pandemic in the country.



The World Health Organization has commended South Africa for acting swiftly and for following scientific advice to delay the spread of the virus.



Yet, while a nation-wide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the coronavirus, it cannot be sustained indefinitely.



Our people need to eat. They need to earn a living. Companies need to be able to produce and to trade, they need to generate revenue and keep their employees in employment.



We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday 30 April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery of economic activity.



We will implement a risk adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions.



We have decided on this approach because there is still much that is unknown about the rate and manner of the spread of the virus within our population.



The action we take now must therefore be measured and incremental.



This approach is guided by the advice from scientists who have advised that an abrupt and uncontrolled lifting of restrictions could cause a massive resurgence in infections.



We cannot take action today that we will deeply regret tomorrow.



We must avoid a rushed re-opening that could risk a spread, which would need to be followed by another hard lockdown, as has happened in other countries.



We have to balance the need to resume economic activity with the imperative to contain the virus and save lives.



To achieve this, we have developed an approach that determines the measures we should have in place based on the direction of the pandemic in our country.



As part of this approach, there will be five coronavirus levels:



Level 5 means that drastic measures are required to contain the spread of the virus to save lives.



Level 4 means that some activity can be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks.



Level 3 involves the easing of some restrictions, including on work and social activities, to address a high risk of transmission.



Level 2 involves the further easing of restrictions, but the maintenance of physical distancing and restrictions on some leisure and social activities to prevent a resurgence of the virus.



Level 1 means that most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times.



To ensure that our response to the pandemic can be as precise and targeted as possible, there will be a national level and separate levels for each province, district and metro in the country.



We are currently at Level 5, which requires a full national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.



This is the highest level of lockdown and was imposed when drastic action was necessary to curb transmission.



The National Coronavirus Command Council will determine the alert level based on an assessment of the infection rate and the capacity of our health system to provide care to those who need it.



We have undertaken a detailed exercise to classify the different parts of the economy according to the risk of transmission in that sector, the expected impact of the lockdown, the economic contribution of the sector and the effect on livelihoods.



The relevant Ministers will provide a detailed briefing on the classification of industries and how each is affected at each level.



We will give all industry bodies an opportunity to consider these details and, should they wish, to make submissions before new regulations are gazetted.



The National Coronavirus Command Council met earlier today and determined that the national coronavirus alert level will be lowered from level 5 to level 4 with effect from Friday the 1st of May.



This means that some activity will be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions to limit community transmission and outbreaks



Some businesses will be allowed to resume operations under specific conditions.



Every business will have to adhere to detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees, and workplace plans will be put in place to enable disease surveillance and prevent the spread of infection.



All businesses that are permitted to resume operations will be required to do so in a phased manner, first preparing the workplace for a return to operations, followed by the return of the workforce in batches of no more than one-third.



In some cases, a sector will not be able to return to full production during Level 4 while the risk of infection remains high.



These will be spelt out next week following a final round of consultations.



Businesses will be encouraged to adopt a work-from-home strategy where possible.



All staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so.



The relevant Ministers will provide details on the process for the phased re-opening of schools and other educational institutions.



As we gradually ease the restrictions, it is necessary that many of the measures to contain the spread of the virus remain in place.



When the country moves to level 4 on 1 May:



Our borders will remain closed to international travel, except for the repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens.



No travel will be allowed between provinces, except for the transportation of goods and exceptional circumstances such as funerals.



Public transport will continue to operate, with limitations on the number of passengers and stringent hygiene requirements, including that all passengers must wear a face mask.



The public is encouraged to stay at home, other than for essential personal movement, doing essential work and work in sectors that are under controlled opening. People can exercise under strict public health conditions.



All gatherings, apart from funerals and for work, will remain prohibited.



Those who are elderly, and those with underlying conditions, must remain at home and take additional precautions to isolate themselves.



The sale of cigarettes will be permitted.



The range of goods that may be sold will be extended to incorporate certain additional categories. These will be detailed by the relevant Ministers.



It is important to note that several restrictions will remain in place regardless of the level of alert for as long as the risk of transmission is present:



Bars and shebeens will remain closed.



Conference and convention centres, entertainment venues, cinemas, theatres, and concerts will remain closed.



Concerts, sporting events, and religious, cultural and social gatherings will not be allowed until it is deemed safe for them to continue.



The coronavirus is spread by contact between people.



If people do not travel, the virus does not travel.



We know, for example, that just one funeral in Port St Johns and one religious gathering in Mangaung contributed to a spate of infections in their respective provinces.



From the evidence we have, we know that 75 percent of confirmed coronavirus cases are found in just six metro municipalities – Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, Buffalo City, EThekwini and Mangaung.



It is therefore essential that we do everything in our means to restrict the movement of people and – although it runs counter to our very nature – to reduce the contact that each of us has with each other.



Ultimately, it is our own actions, as individuals, that will determine how quickly the virus spreads.



If we all adhere to instructions and follow public health guidelines, we will keep the virus under control and will not need to reinstate the most drastic restrictions.



We can prevent the spread of coronavirus by doing a few simple things.



Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol based sanitiser.



Keep a distance of more than one metre between yourself and the next person, especially those who are coughing and sneezing.



Try not to touch your mouth, nose and eyes because your hands may have touched the coronavirus on surfaces.



When you cough or sneeze cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue, and dispose of the tissue right away.



As we begin the easing of lockdown restrictions from the beginning of May, we are calling on all South Africans to wear a face mask whenever you leave home.



Our clothing and textile industry – including many small businesses – are gearing up to produce these masks on a mass scale.



The extraordinary measures that we have put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic have been matched by the extraordinary contributions of many South Africans.



We pay tribute to them, the nurses, the doctors, the scientists and the community screening field workers who are leading our public health response.



We are committed to ensuring that they have all the resources they need – including adequate personal protection equipment and other recognition – to undertake the work that is being asked of them.



As we slowly ease the lockdown restrictions, we are substantially and rapidly increasing our public health response.



We have already seen a huge increase in community screening and testing.



Guided by advice from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, we have joined other African countries in placing mass screening and testing at the centre of the next phase of our response.



Earlier in the week, I announced an additional allocation of R20 billion to our health response to ensure that we have the beds, medicine, equipment and personnel required when the country experiences the peak of infections.



This evening, I also want to pay tribute to those who are providing essential services and goods – the truck, taxi, bus and train drivers; the workers on farms, in stores, at power stations, at water plants, at petrol stations, in banks and in call centres; the law enforcement officials and security personnel.



It is thanks to your efforts that we have been able to make such valuable progress in combating this pandemic.



As part of expanding this effort, I have employed over 70,000 defence force personnel to assist with various parts of our coronavirus response.



Until now, those defence force members that have been deployed have supported the South African Police Service in their responsibilities.



They will continue to do so, but they will also be providing assistance in other essential areas, such as the provision of water supply, infrastructure maintenance and health services.



This is a crucial moment in our struggle against the coronavirus.



It is a time for caution.



It is a time to act responsibly.



It is a time for patience.



There is no person who doesn’t want to return to work.



There is no company that does not want to re-open.



There is no student who does not want to return to their studies.



Yet, we are all called upon, at some time in our lives, to make great sacrifices for our own future and for the future of others.



There are times when we must endure hardship and difficulty, so that we can enjoy freedom and prosperity into the future.



During the past five weeks, we have demonstrated to the entire world what a nation can achieve with courage, determination and solidarity.



We must not give up now.



I am asking you to stay strong.



I am asking you to remain united.



Stay home, stay safe.



Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.



May God bless South Africa and protect her people.



I thank you.



ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA



www.thepresidency.gov.za

#Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About South Africa’s ‘Level 4’ Restrictions After Lockdown

South Africa&#8217;s President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to speak on the government&#8217;s economic and social response to the global health emergency. Ramaphosa says the Coronavirus pandemic requires a response that is equal to the scale of disruption.



Ramaphosa says the impact of the coronavirus requires an extraordinary budget of around R500 billion (over $26 billion), 10% of the country&#8217;s GDP, to direct resources towards fighting the pandemic. 



The president revealed that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has made an important contribution to the economy by cutting the repo rate by 200 basis points, in effect unlocking at least R80 billion in the real economy. 



South Africa&#8217;s government declared the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic a national disaster. The country imposed a 21 days lockdown which was later extended until the end of April.



Here&#8217;s what social media users had to say&#8230;



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Did he say R500 Billion for business support?so vele there was money for free education neh <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cyrilramaphosa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cyrilramaphosa</a> <a href="https://t.co/LSi5Kko9T3">pic.twitter.com/LSi5Kko9T3</a>&mdash; SpaceKings CEO (@Lil_Andi_jr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lil_Andi_jr/status/1252670192825630723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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https://twitter.com/khayadlanga/status/1252669961996247042?s=20
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https://twitter.com/Linden1606/status/1252671306518200323?s=20
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Whoever has the liver to loot even a cent from this R500 billion is beyond saving and needs to spend time in jail.&mdash; Obakeng Leseyane (@ObakengLeseyane) <a href="https://twitter.com/ObakengLeseyane/status/1252673234333503488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Here is the president&#8217;s full address:



My Fellow South Africans, It is 25 days since South Africa began a nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. It has demanded of you great fortitude and endurance. It has caused you much suffering and required much sacrifice. Once again, I salute you and I thank you. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted your lives and damaged our economy. Its severity will continue to take a heavy toll in the weeks and months to come. The pandemic has resulted in the sudden loss of income for businesses and individuals alike, deepening poverty and increasing hunger. The urgent and dramatic measures we have taken to delay the spread of the virus have been absolutely necessary. They have given us the space to better respond to the inevitable rise in infections and to thereby save tens of thousands of lives. While the nation-wide lockdown is having a devastating effect on our economy, it is nothing compared to the catastrophic human, social and economic cost if the coronavirus could spread among our people unchecked. Medical scientists and our doctors inform us that we are still in the early stages of this pandemic. Without proven therapeutic medicines or a vaccine, we can expect this to continue as a problem for the foreseeable future. Our foremost priority now is to intensify the health interventions needed to contain and delay the spread of the disease and to save lives. To date, the coronavirus has taken the lives of at least 58 people in our country. This is a loss that we all mourn, for we know the pain and the anguish of their loved ones. 2 From the more than 126,000 tests conducted, 3,465 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been identified. More than 2 million people have been screened in communities across the country and, of these, over 15,000 have been referred for testing. Alongside this unprecedented public health effort are the measures we are taking to protect livelihoods, to stave off hunger and destitution and to set our economy on a path of recovery. This evening, I wish to address you on our economic and social response to this global health emergency. The pandemic requires an economic response that is equal to the scale of the disruption it is causing. Our economic response can be divided into three phases. The first phase began in mid-March when we declared the coronavirus pandemic as a national disaster. This included a broad range of measures to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic on businesses, on communities and on individuals. The measures included tax relief, the release of disaster relief funds, emergency procurement, wage support through the UIF and funding to small businesses. We are now embarking on the second phase of our economic response to stabilise the economy, address the extreme decline in supply and demand and protect jobs. As part of this phase, we are announcing this evening a massive social relief and economic support package of R500 billion, which amounts to around 10% of GDP. The third phase is the economic strategy we will implement to drive the recovery of our economy as the country emerges from this pandemic. Central to the economic recovery strategy will be the measures we will embark upon to stimulate demand and supply through interventions such as a substantial infrastructure build programme, the speedy implementation of economic reforms, the transformation of our economy and embarking on all other steps that will ignite inclusive economic growth. We will outline this in coming days. Over the past few days, we have been in consultations with various stakeholders. We have met with business, labour and the community constituency in NEDLAC. We have met with Premiers, MECs and Metro Mayors and with the members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. Following these meetings, Cabinet considered various proposals and finalised the social relief and economic support package that stands at the centre of the second phase of our economic response. This involves: 3 Firstly, an extraordinary health budget to respond to coronavirus, Secondly, the relief of hunger and social distress, Thirdly, support for companies and workers, Fourthly, the phased re-opening of the economy. The impact of the coronavirus requires an extraordinary coronavirus budget – of around R500 billion – to direct resources towards fighting the pandemic. This will include the reprioritisation of around R130 billion within the current budget. The rest of the funds will be raised from both local sources, such as the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and from global partners and international finance institutions. To date, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, BRICS New Development Bank and the African Development Bank have been approached and are working with the National Treasury on various funding transactions. Some of these institutions have created financing packages that are aimed at assisting countries that are having to address the coronavirus crisis like us. This funding will be used, in the first instance, to fund the health response to coronavirus. An amount of R20 billion will be directed to addressing our efforts to address the pandemic. If we are to successfully manage the anticipated surge in cases and ensure that everyone who needs treatment receives it, we must provide for additional expenditure on personal protective equipment for health workers, community screening, an increase in testing capacity, additional beds in field hospitals, ventilators, medicine and staffing. The nation-wide lockdown has had a negative impact on the revenue of municipalities at a time when the demands on them are increasing. Additional funding of R20 billion will therefore be made available to municipalities for the provision of emergency water supply, increased sanitisation of public transport and facilities, and providing food and shelter for the homeless. Details will be announced in the adjustment budget tabled by the Minister of Finance. Another significant area that requires massive additional expenditure is the relief of hunger and social distress in our communities across the country. While we have put in place measures to protect the wages of workers in the formal economy and have extended support to small, medium and micro-sized businesses, millions of South Africans in the informal economy and those without employment are struggling to survive. Poverty and food insecurity have deepened dramatically in the course of just a few weeks. To reach the most vulnerable families in the country, we have decided on a temporary 6- month Coronavirus grant. We will direct R50 billion towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the coronavirus. 4 This means that child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month. All other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 per month for the next six months. In addition, a special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next 6 months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment. The Department of Social Development will issue the requirements needed to access and apply for this funding. We have recognised that the food distribution capacity of government is not adequate to meet the huge need that has arisen since the start of the epidemic. The South African Social Security Agency – SASSA – will within days implement a technology-based solution to roll out food assistance at scale through vouchers and cash transfers to ensure that help reaches those who need it faster and more efficiently. In addition, to fill the immediate need, the Department of Social Development has partnered with the Solidarity Fund, NGOs and community-based organisations to distribute 250,000 food parcels across the country over the next two weeks. We are deeply disturbed by reports of unscrupulous people abusing the distribution of food and other assistance for corrupt ends. We will not hesitate to ensure that those involved in such activities face the full might of the law. While there are several interventions that already exist within government to deal with the extremely high unemployment such as the Expanded Public Works Programme and the community works programme, these are not enough. The coronavirus crisis will lead to many people losing their jobs. An additional R100 billion will be set aside for protection of jobs and to create jobs. Since the declaration of a state of national disaster over a month ago, government has put in place a range of measures to support workers’ wages and assist companies in distress. By the end of today, the UIF’s special COVID-19 benefit has paid out R1.6-billion, assisting over 37,000 companies and 600,00 workers. R40 billion has been set aside for income support payments for workers whose employers are not able to pay their wages. We continue to provide assistance – in the form of loans, grants and debt restructuring – to SMMEs, spaza shop owners and other informal businesses. The value of this assistance to date is over R100 million. An additional amount of R2 billion will be made available to assist SMEs and spaza shop owners and other small businesses. 5 The IDC facility to support companies to procure or manufacture personal protective equipment has been utilised in the past few weeks, with finance of R162 million approved to date. Other forms of support have been extended to artists, athletes and technical personnel, as well as to waste pickers and public works participants in the environment sector. While these measures are providing obvious relief to many companies and workers, it is clear that there is a far greater need across the entire economy. We will therefore be introducing a R200 billion loan guarantee scheme in partnership with the major banks, the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank. This will assist enterprises with operational costs, such as salaries, rent and the payment of suppliers. In the initial phase, companies with a turnover of less than R300 million a year will be eligible. It is expected that the scheme will support over 700,000 firms and more than 3 million employees through this difficult period. A number of the banks are ready to roll out the product before the end of the month. Government is also working on additional support measures for vulnerable and affected sectors like the taxi industry. In addition to existing tax relief measures, we will also be introducing a 4-month holiday for companies’ skills development levy contributions, fast-tracking VAT refunds and a 3-month delay for filing and first payment of carbon tax. To assist a greater number of businesses, the previous turnover threshold for tax deferrals is being increased to R100 million a year, and the proportion of PAYE payment that can be deferred will be increased to 35 percent. Businesses with a turnover of more than R100 million a year can apply directly to SARS on a case-by-case basis for deferrals of their tax payments. No penalties for late payments will be applicable if they can show they have been materially negatively impacted in this period. Taxpayers who donate to the Solidarity Fund will be able to claim up to an additional 10 percent as a deduction from their taxable income. In total these tax measures should provide at least R70 billion in cash flow relief or direct payments to businesses and individuals. The Minister of Finance will provide further details on the above and other tax-related announcements. In the implementation of all these measures, we are determined to ensure that women, youth and persons with disability received particular attention and support. The South African Reserve Bank has also made an important contribution to support the real economy. 6 In line with its Constitutional mandate, it has cut the repo rate by 200 basis point, in effect unlocking at least R80 billion in the real economy, and taking other steps to provide additional liquidity to the financial system. Several commercial banks and insurance companies have also assisted the economic relief effort by, among other things, delaying or reducing instalment payments, providing debt relief, and waiving bank fees for grant beneficiaries. The fourth area on which Cabinet has resolved is the phased re-opening of the economy. We will follow a risk-adjusted approach to the return of economic activity, balancing the continued need to limit the spread of the coronavirus with the need to get people back to work. As I have said previously, if we end the lockdown too soon or too abruptly, we risk a massive and uncontrollable resurgence of the disease. We will therefore follow a phased approach, guided by the best available scientific evidence, to gradually lift the restrictions on economic activity. As we do so, we remain firm in our resolve to contain the transmission of the virus. We will therefore need to act with agility and flexibility in the weeks and months ahead, and respond to the situation as it develops. On Thursday, I will address the nation on the measures that will be taken beyond the nationwide lockdown to re-open the economy. This crisis will not last forever, and the day will come when these measures are no longer needed. Until then, however, we must ensure that all of our people receive adequate support. The scale of this emergency relief programme is historic. It demonstrates that we will not spare any effort, or any expense, in our determination to support our people and protect them from harm. We will – and we must – do whatever it takes to recover from this human, social and economic crisis. Our country and the world we live in will never be the same. We are resolved not merely to return our economy to where it was before the coronavirus, but to forge a new economy in a new global reality. Our economic strategy going forward will require a new social compact among all role players – business, labour, community and government – to restructure the economy and achieve inclusive growth. Building on the cooperation that is being forged among all social partners during this crisis, we will accelerate the structural reforms required to reduce the cost of doing business, to promote localisation and industrialisation, to overhaul state owned enterprises and to strengthen the informal sector. 7 We will forge a compact for radical economic transformation that ensures that advances the economic position of women, youth and persons with disabilities, and that makes our cities, towns, villages and rural areas vibrant centres of economic activity. Our new economy must be founded on fairness, empowerment, justice and equality. It must use every resource, every capability and every innovation we have in the service of the people of this country. Our new economy must open new horizons and offer new opportunities. Over the past month, South Africans have opened their hearts each other. Even at this moment when such great sacrifice is demanded of us, we look to a better future with optimism. Even as we find ourselves at a moment of great peril, even as great sacrifices are demanded, even as we dare not allow our vigilance to waver, we look ahead to a better future. I have faith in the strength and resilience of ordinary South Africans, who have proven time and time again – throughout our history – that they can rise to the challenge. We shall recover. We shall overcome. We shall prosper. May God bless South Africa and protect her people. I thank you.

Rama

#Coronavirus: South Africa Announces R500 Billion Economic Stimulus Package, 10% of GDP

#Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown By Two Weeks

While discussing the measures that the government would be taking to combat COVID-19, South Africa&#8217;s president Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement to millions of citizens watching and listening to his speech &#8220;The National Coronavirus Command Council has forced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days with effect at midnight on Thursday March 26, 2020&#8221;. 



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ramaphosa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ramaphosa</a>: The nation-wide lockdown will be enacted in terms of the Disaster Management Act and will entail the following: &#8211; From midnight on Thursday 26 March until midnight on Thursday 16 April, all South Africans will have to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stayathome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#stayathome</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusSA</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1242152975361081344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Earlier in the day the country&#8217;s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize released a statement via his twitter account that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had risen by 128 to 402. The first case of COVID-19 infection in South Africa was reported on March 5, 2020.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Latest confirmed cases of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> as at 23 March 2020 <a href="https://t.co/ryb8WUvQv6">pic.twitter.com/ryb8WUvQv6</a>&mdash; Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrZweliMkhize/status/1242055979811966984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Social media users took to twitter to voice their concerns asking the president to shutdown the country. Shortly afterwards, the hashtags #CyrilRamaphosa #ShutdownSA and #ShutdownSouthAfrica began trending. 



While addressing the nation Ramaphosa stated that the lockdown is &#8220;a decisive measure to save lives of South Africans from infections and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of our people&#8221;. The president further stated that while this measure will have a considerable impact on the livelihoods of citizens of the country and the economy, &#8220;the human cost of delaying this action would be far far greater&#8221;. 



What does the lockdown entail? 



From midnight the following will happen:



<ul><li>The lockdown will come to effect on midnight &#8211; Thursday, 26th March 2020 until midnight on Thursday April 16, 2020. </li><li>All South Africans will have to stay at home</li><li>The people exempted from the lockdown include health workers in the public and private sectors, emergency personnel, those in security services such as the police, traffic officers, military medical personnel, soldiers, and other persons necessary for the country&#8217;s response to the pandemic. This also includes those involved in the production, distribution, and supply of food and basic goods. Essential banking services, the maintenance of power, water and telecommunication services, laboratory services and the provision of medical and hygiene products. </li><li>Individuals won&#8217;t be allowed to leave their homes except under strictly controlled circumstances. </li><li> For the homeless, either their existing locations or, where available, alternative temporary accommodation sites, will be used for their 21-day “stay-at-home” period. </li><li>During this period, clinics, pharmacies, food-stores and hospitals will remain open. </li><li> Health care will be provided through triage to obtain “centralised treatment” for severe cases and “decentralised primary care” for mild cases. &#8211; A key objective is not to overwhelm hospitals with unnecessary care seekers. </li></ul>



Ramaphosa further stated that the Oppenheimer and Rupert Foundations will provide R1 billion (over $56 million) each to assist small businesses and their employees affected by COVID-19. 



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronavirus</a>: President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CyrilRamaphosa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CyrilRamaphosa</a> says the Oppenheimer and Rupert Foundations will provide R1 billion (over $56 million) each to assist small businesses and their employees affected by COVID-19. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lockdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/0oTksyoRQj">pic.twitter.com/0oTksyoRQj</a>&mdash; Forbes Africa (@forbesafrica) <a href="https://twitter.com/forbesafrica/status/1242153956865908737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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#Coronavirus: South Africa Imposes 21 Day Lockdown After Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Rise By 128 to 402

In recent years there has been significant improvements towards empowering women in Africa and the Middle East (AME). Despite these steps towards inclusion, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Gender Gap index , it will take more than 150 years to close the gender gap between men and women in Africa and the Middle East. 



The effect of gender divide means women often face barriers and end up in insecure, low-wage jobs, and constitute a small minority of those in senior positions.



The divide hasn’t gone unnoticed. Regional governments are increasingly moving ahead with progressive policies and legislation, whilst Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been instrumental in providing women with new skills and spurring attitudinal change. 



A solid foundation has been laid for women to maximise their potential, however government legislation and NGOs will not suffice if we are to truly level the playing field. For this to occur, the private sector must be engaged as a key partner to deliver on female equity. 



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/opinion/2019/08/26/lack-of-opportunity-for-women-at-work-not-talent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Lack Of Opportunities For Women At Work – Not Talent (opens in a new tab)">Lack Of Opportunities For Women At Work – Not Talent</a>



To begin with the public sector, governments across the region have moved to increase female participation in the workplace in recent years. In the UAE, the government recently passed a resolution to increase women&#8217;s representation in the Federal National Council (FNC) to 50 percent , whilst South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa has just announced that government plans and budgets will have to include gender-specific delivery targets. 



Governments across the region have also been instrumental in introducing legislation to encourage women both in, and into, the workplace. For instance, Lebanon has increased paid maternity leave from 49 to 70 days. 



Progressive policies are not only helping women enter and stay in the workforce, but in the long-term will have a positive impact on the region’s GDP. In the GCC alone, some estimates tout a 50 percent boost to economic output if women participate in the workforce to the same extent as men. 



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2019/01/25/fight-for-gender-equality-at-un-faces-tough-internal-resistance-report-says/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Fight for Gender Equality at UN Faces Tough Internal Resistance, Report Says (opens in a new tab)">Fight for Gender Equality at UN Faces Tough Internal Resistance, Report Says</a>



International organisations have also contributed to significant advances in female economic empowerment across Africa and the Middle East, with a significant impact on attitudes towards equality. The United Nations (UN) has led this charge, with gender equality high up on its agenda as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 



In the Middle East, UN Women awarded 200 youth volunteers at HeForShe for reaching 20,000 commitments on women’s empowerment , and in Africa, the organisation aims to empower up to two million women through various initiatives aimed at increasing income, wealth and business leadership skills. 



Beyond the UN, a large number of international organisations have also been instrumental in empowering women across the AME region. Oxfam, for example, has launched a global campaign called Raising Her Voice (RHV) which aims to promote women’s rights. 



This included a budget in Pakistan of over US$500,000 between the years of 2008-2013 . In South Africa, the RHV campaign received roughly US$50,000 annually for training and workshops that involved feminism and advocacy skills .



Local NGO initiatives have also been key in the advancement of female inclusion throughout the AME region. As an example, five Lebanese NGOs and the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB) teamed up in 2016 to form Girls Got IT, an NGO to provide female students with access to hands-on tech workshops, talks by industry leaders and tutorials on digital innovation. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="‘Gender Parity Will Come Sooner’ (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/interview/2018/09/29/gender-parity-will-come-sooner/" target="_blank">‘Gender Parity Will Come Sooner’</a>



To take but one of many examples from Africa, a Tanzanian NGO called ‘Village Enterprise’ works on ending extreme poverty by helping women in rural areas through entrepreneurship and innovation. The group has been working successfully and achieved a milestone of one million lives transformed in May 2019 . 



It’s clear that governments and civil society have done much to integrate women into AME economies, positively affecting millions of lives along the way. Nevertheless, much remains to be done. Female labour force participation rates vary widely among African states, with South Africa at 49 percent and Tanzania at 80 percent. 



On the other hand, in the GCC, women comprise just 19.2 percent of the workforce according to one study . In this context, the private sector, with all of its economic might, constitutes perhaps the most crucial element in addressing the balance. A recent study by Deloitte showed that Africa’s private sector represents 75 percent of generated wealth and 90 percent of all employment opportunities in the continent . 



Fortunately, there are encouraging signs that companies are stepping up across AME and pursuing a concerted effort to empower women with new skills and opportunities. Standard Chartered stands as a case in point. 



The Bank has committed to raise USD50 million, between 2019 and 2023 through fundraising and Bank-matching, to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow via its Futuremakers programme. 



By no means is Standard Chartered satisfied to merely provide financial donations – it also actively implements women’s empowerment programmes such as Women in Tech, aimed at promoting the economic and social development of women entrepreneurs. 



To date, this programme operates in five countries with entrepreneurial female participants from Pakistan, Nigeria, the US, the UAE and my home country, Kenya. The Bank is also committed to creating a more inclusive environment to help working parents balance work and family responsibilities; its staff can enjoy the benefit of flexible working policy, a parental paid leave of up to 140 calendar days for the mother and two weeks for the spouse. 



Achieving gender equality is an important moral principle and acts as a catalyst to other development outcomes such as poverty reduction, well-being and health. Governments and NGO’s have been active in empowering women; however, change will take a collective partnership between government, NGO’s and private enterprise across the region to elevate women to an equal status. 



The outcome of maximising women’s potential and achieving gender equality will result in greater contributions being made and benefits to the entire region. 



-Olga Arara-Kimani, Regional Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand &amp; Marketing for Standard Chartered in Africa and the Middle East

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Challenging The Gender Divide

The first 100 days of any presidency are often harshly
scrutinized as they set the tone for what citizens expect. South Africa’s Cyril
Ramaphosa is under the magnifying glass as all await his next tactical move.



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At the end of May, South Africa’s sixth
democratically-elected president, Cyril Ramaphosa, took an oath of office at
Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. In his speech, he touched on many issues
that resonate with South Africans, including corruption, poverty, equality and
youth unemployment. 



These burning matters prelude what is to be expected from
him in his first 100 days in office. 



Ramaphosa’s period at the helm of power (before the elections) has been typified by repeated calls for a ‘New Dawn’. It seems the man who made it to the 2019 Time magazine list of 100 Most Influential in the world has a laundry list of issues to attend to if he is to set the tone for the rest of his presidency. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="IN PICTURES | Looking Back At The Vibe Of The South African Elections (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/politics/2019/06/03/in-pictures-looking-back-at-the-vibe-of-the-south-african-democracy/" target="_blank">IN PICTURES | Looking Back At The Vibe Of The South African Elections</a>



The challenge that has deeply affected how South Africans
and investors view the country is that of corruption.



“Let us forge a compact for an efficient, capable and
ethical state, a state that is free of corruption, for companies that generate
social value and propel human development… We must be a society that values
excellence, rewards effort and rejects mediocrity,” Ramaphosa said at his
inauguration on May 25.



&nbsp;In the first 100
days, analysts say he needs to demonstrate he is a proactive leader; one who
takes decisive action to address the plight of those who live in a society as
unequal as South Africa. The gaping chasm between the richest and poorest has
widened since the end of apartheid 25 years ago. This information is not lost
on citizens whose lived experiences and disenchantment were in evidence during
the elections.



A specialist in social economic development and political commentator, Kim Heller, is of the view that Ramaphosa has some way to go to address the resolutions of his party, the African National Congress (ANC).



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">&nbsp;“There are critical social maladies that need to be treated with the urgency they deserve… One of the key things people are looking for is a decisive man and decisive leadership,” she says.</blockquote>



Political analyst, Prince Mashele, ventures: “He is yet to
act on resolutions because he is navigating complex political infighting in the
ANC, which is why he can’t move boldly and faster…” 



Economic transformation has been seen to also imply
redistribution of the means of production, which currently has been reiterated
in the call for land redistribution without compensation. This is among the
duties citizens and investors will keep a close eye on as it is a contentious
matter.



Leading up to the elections, Ramaphosa said to apprehensive
farmers, “the land reform process is something we should never fear. It is
going to be done in terms of the constitution”. 



Heller says that, “the question of land is unresolved,
despite very solid ANC resolutions from branches, and despite extensive
consultation”. 



The president will to have to choose whether he wants to be investor-friendly or whether he wants the interests of his own political party to find expression in policy. 



“The investors have become the supreme branch of the ANC. So
Ramaphosa certainly, is spending a lot of time on their concerns rather than
ordinary people&#8230;,” Heller says.



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Poll Position: The South African 2019 Elections (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/big-shots/2019/05/07/poll-position-the-south-african-elections/" target="_blank">Poll Position: The South African 2019 Elections</a>



Mashele echoes: “He has been a market-friendly president. He
has railed against his comrades calling for the nationalization of the [South
African] Reserve Bank”.



Another matter influencing investment into the country is
red tape that inhibits instead of encouraging business. South Africa dropped
from 34 out of 181 countries on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking
in 2009 to 82 out of 192 countries last year, leaving the country trailing its
African peers, including Mauritius (20), Rwanda (29) and Kenya (61).



In his address to the nation, Ramaphosa continued with the
mantra thuma mina (which means ‘send me’) and committed to continue to build
South Africa. In his rebuilding, he will have to take a closer look at the factors
that infringe on those looking to conduct business while straddling the line in
ensuring that (natural) resources are not further depleted while failing to
trickle down to those who need it the most. 



Heller is of the view that the expectations created by the
president serve as a double-edged sword: “Some quarters have built him up to be
the Messiah we have all been waiting for. He may have embraced that but it’s
actually going to damage him. Because there is no individual who can save this
country without looking at doing serious things in terms of economic
restructuring… Until we address structural issues in this country, shifting the
economy to favor ordinary people, not markets, we actually aren’t very
benevolent.”



Also affecting business has been the view that South Africa is amongst the most corrupt on the continent and viewed as one of the murder capitals of the world. The Zondo Commission has illustrated the stark reality of the malfeasance the president will have to address to change these perceptions and in so doing, hold high-profile individuals accountable.



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Ticking The Right Boxes: Will The South African Elections Come Down To The Wire? (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/politics/2019/04/30/ticking-the-right-boxes-will-the-south-african-elections-come-down-to-the-wire/" target="_blank">Ticking The Right Boxes: Will The South African Elections Come Down To The Wire?</a>



&nbsp;In line with building
an equal society, the president made mention of the prevalence of violence
against women at his inauguration. 



“Let us end the dominion that men claim over women, the
denial of opportunity, the abuse and the violence, the neglect, and the
disregard of each person’s equal rights. Let us build a truly non-racial
society, one that belongs to all South Africans, and in which all South
Africans belong. Let us build a society that protects and values those who are
vulnerable and who for too long have been rendered marginal,” Ramaphosa said.



Leading up to the resolution of the president’s first 100
days in office, the public is watching with bated breath.&nbsp; 



“I pity him. He’s made big promises on housing and
unemployment. Those are not going to magically change overnight. The problem
with South Africa is that we love martyrs and here we have a president that we
have martyred and who is actually going to fall on that. To replace one man
with another, is not going to replace problematic policies, poor implementation
and poor conceptualization of economic solutions. So I think in the next 100
days, I don’t expect to see anything unless the fundamentals are changed,”
Heller says.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



No doubt, it is going to take a concerted effort from all
institutions, including those that have been revealed to be compromised. The
first 100 days will certainly determine the rest of the president’s term in
office.

gettyimages-1146169429-594×594

‘South Africans Love Martyrs’

Busi Mabuza has just been appointed Chair of the South African chapter of the BRICS Business Council. Also the chairperson of the Industrial Development Corporation, she speaks to FORBES AFRICA about her plans for trade and investment.&nbsp; 



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



What is your first point of focus as the chair of the South African chapter of the BRICS Business Council? 



It is still early days. I am just lucky I was appointed to
the BRICS Council last year… In my few months, my sense was that the sister
countries in BRICS were much more organized in terms of what it is they are
looking for and in bringing a coordinated voice of business. We were still
trying to get there in terms of coordinating our efforts and channeling our
objectives and making sure we agree on the priorities.



I look forward to, first of all, picking up from where
others left off. This is a council that has been around not long after 2010,
and it has a long-enough track-record. 



I think where things have been done well, we just need to
make sure they are done better. Where there are gaps, I’d like for us to close
those gaps. On the administrative side, I have noticed our sister countries,
the business councils of the other countries, are much more coercively
organized, more streamlined, business has a very strong voice and business
facilitates all of it. 



I would like to see that engagement with all corners of
business, big and small. I think there is room for everybody there. If one
looks at the African continent, the majority of the population is young people.
If we sit in those meetings without understanding the voice of the youth, without
talking to and addressing the issues of the youth, we will be left behind. 



I think it is an opportunity to make sure business rolls up
its sleeves and we actually benefit from the linkages our political principles
have cemented. 



As a woman in leadership, how will you navigate this space? 



It is one that also challenges me ideologically. I never wanted to be labeled ‘the first black woman [in anything]’, and yet I have worked most of my life in environments where it has been lonely just by the mere fact that when the guys are talking rugby, I want to talk about something else. 



Rugby is great, I also enjoy that, but it is also good to talk about other things. One success factor when one is thrown into such environments is to [bring] others in deliberately. I’d love to demonstrate to the women out there that there are opportunities such as these and we need to be there and we need to show up at our best in terms of our game. 



We need to work diligently because when it comes to the results and output, the assessment won’t be based on whether you are a man or woman, it will be based on what you deliver tangibly. South Africa has an opportunity to make the other BRICS countries aware that women have to be at the table and we do it through our actions rather than just talk. 



What is on the 2019 agenda for business in South Africa?



With this being new days, I believe in consultation. I believe in making sure I understand the mandate I have been given. I understand what the Department of Trade and Industry is about, and their focus on creating export opportunities because that will grow our trade. 



I understand their focus on empowerment, because as a country we do need to see a better profile and reflection of society in the economic space. The focus will continue to be on trade and investment, as we move along, I would like for us to do this in an inclusive manner.



Which sector will South Africa prioritize? 



I would definitely take a cue from the president’s [Cyril Ramaphosa] focus on agriculture. Agriculture is fantastic for this continent because we have land, we have the people and if you look outside South Africa, there is water. The resources are there. 



The other side of the coin is that agriculture can be a great employment opportunity. Agriculture is getting more technical and technology-intensive and that excites me. If we had a trading bloc arrangement, we will be talking much bigger opportunities within the country.

Busi-Mabuza

‘Time For Business To Roll Up Its Sleeves’

On the cards this year? More polls, power struggles and ambitious projects.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Whichever way one looks at it, 2019 promises Africa a spot
in the limelight like no other.



A record 22 countries, almost half of the continent, will be
asking their citizens for fresh mandates to rule democratically, according to
the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa. 



By any measure, it’s a big number of politicians submitting
themselves to the will of the people, especially given Africa’s past struggles
with coups and the rule of law.



Whether those polls are conducted freely and fairly is the
next stage in the continent’s drive to improve governance. The Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Africa’s largest country, started the year rolling with
a disputed election that may yet see an historic transfer of power from one
civilian administration to another.



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2019/02/10/the-claim-that-democracy-fares-better-in-the-west-than-in-africa-is-a-fallacy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Claim That Democracy Fares Better in the West Than in Africa Is a Fallacy (opens in a new tab)">The Claim That Democracy Fares Better in the West Than in Africa Is a Fallacy</a>



It’s a step seen in only a handful of African countries
since independence in the 1960s, with the likes of Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria,
among others, managing the feat as leaders clung to power by all means
necessary including vote-rigging, outright violence against political opponents
and coups.



The continent’s largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa,
will be among the first to kick-start the process with Nigerians getting the
chance to hand President Muhammadu Buhari another term or hand power to Atiku
Abubakar, a former vice president who was part of Buhari’s alliance when he
first ran in 2015.



In South Africa, expectations are President Cyril
Ramaphosa’s African National Congress will be returned to power with a bigger
mandate. 



Elsewhere around the continent, votes are expected in
countries ranging from Chad to Somaliland but the chances of opposition
victories remain few and far between even as the continent battles a host of
problems from sub-par economic growth to growing indebtedness, particularly to
China.



The World Bank estimates Africa’s economy will grow by 3.6%
this year, but that growth rate masks huge disparities between nations and is
only slightly ahead of its population growth rate of just above 2.5% per annum,
the fastest in the world.



In the meantime, many of its economies are sinking further into debt, just a few years after debt relief that spurred some of the fastest growth the continent had seen in years. 



A 2018 World Bank list of the most indebted countries has South Africa’s 55 million people carrying $792 billion of foreign and local debt, followed by Sudan at $528 billion and Egypt with $299 billion.



But it is the growing debt of some of Africa’s poorest
countries that is beginning to raise concern again. The Overseas Development
Institute last year warned that 40% of sub-Saharan African countries were in
danger of slipping into a debt crisis, adding to warnings by the International
Monetary Fund.



Analysis shows that a fifth of the external debt is held by
China, with another 35% held by multilateral organizations like the World Bank
and another 32% held by private investors. And some of those countries may
begin struggling to pay those loans, according to analysts.



So while there is much to look forward to in 2019, Africa
collectively has lots to do. One ray of hope, is coming from an unlikely
source, the Africa Union (AU). For years, the successor of the Organization of
African Unity has largely remained a political talk-shop, attended mostly by
politicians.



But the last few years have seen change, with economics
beginning to become an integral part of its conversations, culminating in the
launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area last year, an ambitious plan
tying up the continent from the Cape to Cairo.



Building on to that project, was the African Import-Export
Bank, which collaborated with the AU to organize the Intra-African Trade Fair,
the first continent-wide marketplace for goods and services which attracted 42
countries to Cairo, saw some 1,100 exhibitors and more than $33 billion in
deals concluded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



If that’s a harbinger of continental resolve to work together, Africa may yet be the place to be in 2019.



Education Quality and the Youth Skills Gap Are Marring Progress in Africa



-Godfrey Mutizwa

NIGERIA-VOTE

2019: Africa’s Year In The Sun

In recent months,&nbsp;various debates&nbsp;about the South African Reserve Bank have focused broadly on three aspects – its shareholding, its mandate and its independence.



The three debates are somewhat convoluted. They are indeed three different issues, but they are interlinked.



Let’s turn to the issue of ownership first.



The South African Reserve Bank is one of&nbsp;only eight central banks&nbsp;in the world with private shareholders. The others are in Belgium, Greece, Italy, Japan, San Marino, Switzerland and Turkey.



The debate about shareholding in South Africa’s Reserve Bank centres around the issue of&nbsp;nationalisation. Some political players, such as the third largest party – the Economic Freedom Fighters – are&nbsp;calling&nbsp;for the ownership of the Bank to be transferred from current private shareholders to the South African government and has tabled a bill in Parliament to achieve this objective.



The issue is very charged. But it’s also confused and not very well understood. There’s an assumption that a change of ownership would automatically mean a change in the role the Bank plays. This isn’t the case because in fact the Bank’s shareholders play no role in its mandate. In that sense it doesn’t matter who the shareholders are. Because they can’t affect its mandate, nationalisation&nbsp;won’t affect&nbsp;the independence of the central bank.



But there are other ways in which the Bank’s ability to do its job can be undermined. This is where the Bank’s&nbsp;primary mandate&nbsp;comes in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The mandate issue</h2>



The mandate of South Africa’s central bank is set out in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996">Constitution</a>, which says:



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">The primary objective of the Bank shall be to protect the value of the currency of the Republic of South Africa in the interest of balanced and sustainable economic growth in the Republic.</blockquote>



The Bank also adheres to an inflation target which was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.resbank.co.za/MonetaryPolicy/DecisionMaking/Pages/default.aspx">put in place</a>&nbsp;in 2000. This requires it to keep inflation within a band of 3% to 6%. The Bank uses monetary policy and interest rate decisions to achieve this objective. In short, when the inflationary trend declines, the interest rate declines and when the inflationary trend increases, the interest rate increases.



The issue of the Bank’s focus on keeping inflation within this band – and the fact that its mandate sets out clearly that managing inflation is it’s core job – is hotly contested.



Those on the left of the political spectrum, including the country’s largest trade union federation,&nbsp;argue&nbsp;that the South African Reserve Bank shouldn’t focus primarily on inflation. Instead, they say, it should also be taking account of economic growth as well as the employment rate in the country.



The Bank’s response has been that its current mandate is broad enough because it says quite clearly that, while managing inflation, it must do so “in the interest of balanced and sustainable economic growth in the Republic”.



For those like myself who oppose a broader mandate, the issue is quite simple: giving the Bank a broader mandate raises the danger that the Bank will take its eye off inflation because it’s having to concentrate on other issues. This, in turn, could lead to rampant inflation.



The Bank’s mandate is crucial in another respect. The SA Reserve Bank’s ability to pursue its mandate without interference from government is how its independence is measured.



South Africa’s central bank has acted on the whim of politicians before. It didn’t end well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How political interference can hurt</h2>



In the 1980s inflation rose dramatically, resulting in the country suffering its&nbsp;highest inflation&nbsp;rates ever: on average about 15% per year for the decade.



Despite the fact that rising prices called for the Bank to act by raising interest rates, it failed to do so on instructions of the government. Inflation wreaked havoc on the earnings of ordinary South Africans, as well as on the value of people’s pensions.



The government’s interference was dramatically brought to light ahead of a by-election in 1984 in a Johannesburg suburb called Primrose. Just prior to the by-election the government instructed the South African Reserve Bank to drop the interest rate. This subsequently became known as the&nbsp;Primrose Prime incident.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where the focus should be</h2>



The debates swirling around the central bank have&nbsp;created uncertainty. This is despite&nbsp;reassurances&nbsp;from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.



The President needs to do more: he also needs to establish certainty about the executive management of the South African Reserve Bank.



An executive vacancy at the central bank, created by the&nbsp;resignation&nbsp;of one of the Deputy Governors, Francois Groepe, must be filled as a matter of urgency. And the President should make clear his intention to reappoint the Governor, Lesetja Kganyago, and the Deputy Governor, Daniel Mminele, whose terms expire this year.



These appointments are under the purview of the President. The SA Reserve Bank Act&nbsp;stipulates&nbsp;that the President must fill executive positions after consultation with the Minister of Finance and the Bank’s board.



South Africa needs stability at the central bank to ensure a growth trajectory for the country. The President should get the process of filling the vacancy and providing certainty about the future of Kganyago and Mminele underway sooner rather than later. -The Conversation



-Jannie Rossouw: Head of School of Economic &amp; Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand



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South African Reserve Bank Rate Announcement Ahead Of Stimulus Plan

Explainer: South Africa’s Central Bank – Ownership, Mandate and Independence

Tito Mboweni inherits Africa’s recession-hit country as president Cyril Ramaphosa chases growth.

If the performance of South Africa’s currency in the week since Tito Mboweni was picked as finance minister is any good, Africa’s only economy in official recession might be on to a good thing.
The rand, Africa’s most freely-traded currency, gained more than 5% against the dollar in the week since the former central bank governor replaced Nhlanhla Nene who quit after lying about his dealings with a business family, the Guptas, accused of bribing government officials including former President Jacob Zuma.
The former labor minister brings a no-nonsense approach analysts say will be needed to take Africa’s second-largest economy out of a largely self-inflicted second recession in less than a decade amid graft allegations. He will need to rein in government spending, six months before elections that may drop the ruling African National Congress’ (ANC) support below half for the first time since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
“Fiercely independent and often regarded as a bit of a maverick, Mr Mboweni is nevertheless likely to emerge as one of Mr Ramaphosa’s more inspired decisions,’’ says Gary van Staden, analyst at Cape Town-based NKC Research.
<blockquote>“He is certainly among the more highly-regarded choices the president could have made and we expect him to add momentum to the decisions of the job summit and economic stimulus package.’’</blockquote>
Mboweni served four years as labor minister in former President Nelson Mandela’s government where he developed the first post-apartheid labor law. At the South African Reserve Bank, where he was the country’s first black governor, Mboweni spent a decade, and built a reputation as a conservative banker and defender of the country’s newly-adopted inflation-targeting regime.
His major achievement was building the country’s foreign exchange reserves from less than $10 billion to $40 billion when he left in 2009 after two terms deemed by most as successful.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2018/06/16/one-on-one-with-naledi-pandor-sa-minister-of-higher-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: One on One With Naledi Pandor SA Minister of Higher Education</a>
“The economy is now in a safe pair of hands. It is someone senior both in the ANC and in the government as he served as a minister of labor previously. What is also important is we have ratings agencies watching us and this will bode well for them,’’ says independent economist Mike Schussler.
Mboweni takes charge of an economy that was in recession in the first six months of the year, hobbled by nine years of poor management under Zuma which left business confidence shattered. With the economy barely growing during the period, the country lost its investment grade rating from Standard &amp; Poor’s (S&amp;P) and Fitch Ratings.
Only Moody’s maintained its rating above junk and the company deferred a decision after Mboweni’s appointment, fanning hopes it will give him time to mend the country’s finances and present a credible growth plan.
But economists say it might be too late for a country that needs to cut spending while chasing economic growth.
“I am afraid we have overplayed our hand on the numbers,’’ says Dawie Roodt, an economist at Efficient Group in Johannesburg.
“The fiscal numbers are unsustainable and the debt numbers in particular are terrible. From a numbers point of view, I am afraid this is a downgrade.’’
The new minister has a full problem tray as he comes in: unemployment is sitting at 27.2% as companies grapple with soaring costs inflated by a weak rand, falling government revenues in a country where 17 million people depend on government grants, and weak business confidence.
But his appointment may provide the turning point the country desperately requires, according to Van Staden.
“The former Reserve Bank governor can be a difficult personality, but his skillset and deep understanding of financial markets are likely to see him embrace a market-orientated policy framework with a no-nonsense attitude and dedication to economic growth and social development. We expect the appointment to have a positive impact on the credibility of the Ramaphosa administration.’’
It is credibility Ramaphosa has been building and one he will need quickly, according to Ravi Bhatia, a director at S&amp;P which rates the country’s debt junk with a stable outlook. Its next rating decision is scheduled to be announced on November 23.
“He will have to get up to speed quite quickly,’’ Bhatia said pointing to the country’s Medium Term Budget Policy statement released in October. “He will have to push through measures that will deliver growth. We want to see growth being delivered and the fiscal line being controlled.’’
&#8211; Godfrey Mutizwa

Tito Mboweni sworn in as new finance minister in South Africa

Could Tito Mboweni Be The Turning Point?

It’s 7AM on July 17, a day before Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday, and Corlett Drive, the road leading to The Wanderers Cricket Stadium in Johannesburg, is a sea of cars.
At least 15,000 people are expected to pour into it today, to hear one former president speak about another. Obama on Mandela. Both names big enough to draw generations of South Africans together to the stadium – and others from abroad – on a cold week day.
“I forgot it was winter in South Africa,” began Barack Obama, instantly warming up to the audience that welcomes him with a thunderous applause.
The former US president is here for the 16th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, the biggest ever, timed aptly with the centenary celebrations of the former apartheid struggle hero.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2018/07/18/the-power-humour-and-anger-of-mandela/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: The Power, Humour And Anger Of Mandela</a>
<div id="attachment_37017" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-37017" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-37017 size-medium" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-02.jpg 1902w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />(From Left) Foundation Chairperson Professor Njabulo Ndebele, Graça Machel, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Former US President Barack Obama and Dr Patrice Motsepe. Photo By Gypseenia Lion.</div>
The theme? ‘Renewing the Mandela Legacy and Promoting Active Citizenship in a Changing World’, focusing on creating conditions for bridging divides, working across ideological lines, and resisting oppression and inequality.
“The presence of each and every one here is living proof that the legacy and spirit of Nelson Mandela is alive,” says FORBES billionaire Patrice Motsepe, also founder and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation behind the event, before Obama’s address.
In the audience are recognizable faces, everyone from politicians past and present to billionaire businessmen (Mandela’s long-time friend Richard Branson), movie stars (Charlize Theron), kings and traditional leaders.
The stadium fully represents Mandela’s Rainbow Nation.
<div id="attachment_37016" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-37016" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-37016 size-large" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="740" height="494" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-05.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" />The Soweto Gospel Choir. Photo by Motlabana Monnakgotla.</div>
“I am here to see Obama, hopefully I will get a good shot of him. Most importantly, I am here to find out what he has in store for us [South Africa], what he thinks about how we are doing outside the country and his views on how we can take our country forward,” says excited guest Asanda Mokoena.
A few hundred metres from the pitch is a car park for attendees like Mokoena. It is a hive of activity. Vehicles, big and small, scramble about for parking space.
Queues form at the gates hours before.
Inside the stadium, loud laughter and banter. Precious photos reminiscing Mandela and recording Obama. “Yes we can, yes we can, yes we can,” the crowd chants.
<div id="attachment_37011" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-37011" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-37011" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-04.jpg 1985w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Attendees shield their faces from the afternoon sun. Photo by Motlabana Monnakgotla</div>
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who calls Obama to the podium, also receives a standing ovation, the crowds singing and cheering for him.
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane is in the audience.
“We are living in a global society in which the values of freedom are under threat and it is important that people who believe in individual rights, the market-based economy, the freedoms of people, must stand together and advance the values of Nelson Mandela. So I would hope that today is about advancing the value of non-racialism, and reconcile society, then ultimately, a global world on those values can be established,” says Maimane, walking to the VIP area before the event.
Mandela shone brightly. Says Graça Machel, the former president’s widow, on stage, “these occasions make him very happy”, also drawing parallels between Mandela and Obama, portraying them as “symbols of victory over adversity”.
“It should make us hopeful..,” says Obama in his address. “Ultimately, Mandela came to signify something more&#8230;He came to embody the universal aspirations of people all around the world.
“We have to start by admitting that whatever laws may have existed on the books, whatever wonderful pronouncements existed in constitutions, whatever nice words were spoken these last decades at international conferences or in the halls of the United Nations, the previous structures of power and privilege and injustice and exploitation never completely went away…
“I believe in a vision of equality and justice and freedom and multi-racial democracy built on the premise that all people are created equal and they&#8217;re endowed by our creator certain inalienable rights. And I believe that a world governed by such principles is possible and that it can achieve more peace and more cooperation and pursuit of a common good,&#8221; says Obama, also touching on the politics of fear and the recent chaos in the world.
As the winter sun comes down, and at the end of Obama’s impassioned 90-minute address, the audience is suitably invigorated.
South African actor and presenter, Thapelo Mokoena, says this is a much-needed reminder of the values and sacrifice of Mandela.
<div id="attachment_37012" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-37012" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-37012 size-medium" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Obama-lecture-01.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Thapelo Mokoena, Actor. Photo by Gypseenia Lion.</div>
<blockquote>“Just like art has a way of reminding us who we are and where we are from, this contributes to that. As an artist, this means the entire world and I can tell the story for many years to come,” he says.</blockquote>
“I just feel it is very opportune for us as South Africans to reflect on the kind of leadership that we want to bring into our own lives,” says Tinashe Zigomo, another audience member.
As the crowds leave, they take with them revitalized reflections on Mandela and lessons from Obama.
&#8211; By Ancillar Mangena and Gypseenia Lion

Tag: Cyril Ramaphosa

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA