This is the optimistic message economist and academic, Dr Roelof Botha, gave to a hall full of Free State business owners at Leopards and Lace in Bloemfontein on Thursday, April 4. The address, which was backed by the insurance company Old Mutual, was intended to give the local business community some predictions regarding where the country’s economy will be post the national elections on May 8.

While Botha acknowledged and addressed some of the major concerns like radical land reform, which he called “land expropriation without comprehension”, persistent political uncertainty, and rigid labour legislation, the economist’s overall presentation was an optimistic one, urging entrepreneurs to give it 18 months post the election. Botha says indications are that President Cyril Ramaphosa will become the President of South Africa in next month’s elections and he believes that Ramaphosa will be able to begin turning the state around in 18 months after the election. To the naysayers, Botha says his balanced perspective is based on facts.

Still, business owners were left with some doubt. During a Question and Answer session, one of the business owners expressed his doubt in Ramaphosa, citing the ANC’s inclusion of politicians alleged to have committed corruption and fraud on the party’s candidates list as his primary reason. This as it has been recently reported that the Independent’s Electoral Commission (IEC) has received objections to about 30 members on the party’s list. Botha noted the concern, adding that research has shown that he is not alone in that regard. But he hopes that the president will be able to weed out corrupt politicians. The economist politely explained that politics isn’t for the faint-hearted and Ramaphosa just made it in Nasrec 2017. He has in essence been trying to survive, he does believe the “ship will turn around”. Bloemfontein-based, businessman, Jones Mamabolo, tells OFM News he is just as optimistic as the economist after seeing the projections at the event and doesn’t express any of that political uncertainty.

OFM News