My views: COMPARISON OF SOUTH AFRICA’s FIVE PRESIDENTS since 1994 South Africa’s post-apartheid presidents—Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, Jacob Zuma, and Cyril Ramaphosa—each had unique leadership styles, successes, and failures. Below is a comparison based on leadership, service delivery, economic growth, citizen focus, and corruption. Let’s break it down and compare all five post-apartheid presidents based on leadership, service delivery, economic growth, citizen focus, and corruption. 1. Nelson Mandela (1994–1999) “The Reconciler” – Focused on unity & laying the foundation for democracy ✅ Achievements (The Good) ✔️ Peace & National Unity • Prevented civil war after apartheid. • Promoted racial reconciliation (TRC, Rainbow Nation concept). • Integrated different political parties into a peaceful democracy. ✔️ Constitution & Democracy • SA’s 1996 Constitution established strong legal and human rights. • Independent judiciary & Chapter 9 institutions created. ✔️ Economic Stabilization • RDP (Reconstruction & Development Program) launched. • Reduced debt & stabilized the economy (after sanctions). • Foreign investment increased due to global confidence. ✔️ Improved Social Welfare • Millions got access to water, housing, and electricity. • Basic education and healthcare expanded. ❌ Failures (The Bad) ❌ Slow Economic Transformation • Did not push land reform aggressively. • Wealth remained concentrated in white hands. ❌ HIV/AIDS Crisis Mishandled • Did not prioritize ARVs (left to Mbeki, who denied science). ❌ Corruption Began (Arms Deal Scandal 1999) • First major corruption case linked to the ANC government. Verdict: ✅ Greatest leader for reconciliation & stability, but weak on economic transformation. 2. Thabo Mbeki (1999–2008) “The Intellectual” – Focused on economic growth but detached from citizens ✅ Achievements (The Good) ✔️ Fastest Economic Growth (4-5% per year) • South Africa’s economy grew strongly (black middle class expanded). • Debt reduced, credit rating improved. ✔️ Infrastructure Growth • Gautrain, road expansions, stadiums (2010 World Cup). ✔️ African & Global Influence • Helped establish NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development). • Peacekeeping missions in Africa. ✔️ Public Service Modernization • E-government, better revenue collection (SARS was effective). ❌ Failures (The Bad) ❌ HIV/AIDS Denialism • Rejected ARVs, leading to 330,000+ deaths. ❌ Unemployment & Inequality Grew • Did not focus enough on job creation. • “Two economies” problem (rich got richer, poor stayed poor). ❌ Corruption Started Increasing • Arms Deal expanded under his presidency. Verdict: ✅ Best president for economic growth & modernization, but failed on HIV/AIDS & unemployment. 3. Kgalema Motlanthe (2008–2009) “The Caretaker” – A brief presidency focused on stability ✅ Achievements (The Good) ✔️ Stabilized ANC post-Mbeki-Zuma fallout ✔️ Reintroduced ARVs after Mbeki’s failure ✔️ Maintained economic policy stability ❌ Failures (The Bad) ❌ Too short a term to make real impact. ❌ Had no strong leadership vision. Verdict: ✅ Best transition leader, but too short-lived to have lasting impact. 4. Jacob Zuma (2009–2018) “The Populist” – Strong on infrastructure & social grants, but state capture ruined governance ✅ Achievements (The Good) ✔️ Biggest Infrastructure Boom • Eskom (Medupi, Kusile), roads, ports, Transnet, housing, Gautrain. ✔️ Expanded Social Grants & Free Higher Education • Millions benefited from child support, pensions, and education access. ✔️ BRICS Membership • SA joined BRICS, improving global trade partnerships. ✔️ Black Economic Empowerment Boosted • Radical Economic Transformation policies promoted black businesses. ❌ Failures (The Bad) ❌ State Capture & Corruption • Gupta family influenced government decisions. • Eskom, Prasa, SAA, SARS were looted. ❌ Economic Decline & Junk Status (2017) • Growth dropped below 2%. • Investors lost confidence in SA. ❌ Eskom Crisis Worsened • Load-shedding increased due to corruption at Eskom. Verdict: ✅ Best in infrastructure & social grants, but state capture destroyed state institutions. 5. Cyril Ramaphosa (2018–Present) “The Fixer?” – Fighting corruption but slow economic recovery ✅ Achievements (The Good) ✔️ Zondo Commission Exposed Corruption • Held corrupt leaders accountable. ✔️ Energy & Infrastructure Reforms • Independent power producers allowed. ✔️ COVID-19 Response • Strong initial leadership (but PPE corruption hurt efforts). ✔️ Revived International Investment Drive • Attracted some investors back. ❌ Failures (The Bad) ❌ Slow Economic Growth & High Unemployment • Economy struggles with load-shedding, high debt. ❌ ANC Corruption Not Fully Addressed • Phala Phala scandal damaged credibility. • Many corrupt leaders still in ANC. ❌ Electricity Crisis Still Not Solved • Eskom still unreliable. Verdict: ✅ Trying to fix corruption, but too slow on economic recovery & energy crisis. Final Presidential Scorecard: Who Did Best? Category Mandela Mbeki Motlanthe Zuma Ramaphosa Leadership ✅✅✅ Best for unity ✅✅ Strong strategist ✅ Stable ✅ Charismatic but divisive ✅ Decisive but slow Service Delivery ✅ Good start ✅✅ Improved efficiency ✅ Maintained ✅✅✅ Best in infrastructure ✅ Some progress Economic Growth ✅ Stable ✅✅✅ Fastest growth ✅ No major impact ✅ Mixed (BEE gains but junk status) ❌ Very slow Citizen Focus ✅✅ Social programs ❌ Focused more on elites ✅ Maintained grants ✅✅✅ Best for the poor ✅ Good response to crises Corruption ❌ Arms Deal began ❌ Increased ✅ No scandals ❌❌❌ Worst (State Capture) ❌ Corruption still persists Final Conclusion: Who Was Best? Best for economic growth: Mbeki Best for infrastructure & social programs: Zuma Best for unity & peace: Mandela Best for corruption clean-up: Ramaphosa (but slow progress) Most neutral leadership: Motlanthe What’s your view?