South Africa: Will Ramaphosa's Reforms Outlast Him? It Depends On the Future Prosperity of the Nation.

As Parliament's Impeachment Committee is due to hold its first meeting on Monday, speculation is likely to mount about President Cyril Ramaphosa's future. While it seems highly unlikely he could be forced from office, this may be an opportune moment to assess which of his reforms will outlast him, and if they will lead to economic growth.

While many people enter politics simply for their own self-aggrandisement, the true test of a successful politician is whether they are able to change the trajectory of a society.

Considering South Africa's situation, that then becomes a test of whether the reforms instituted under President Cyril Ramaphosa will change our trajectory, and particularly help our economy to grow.

It may be premature to say with certainty whether certain reforms might remain, but some do appear to be entrenched and harder to reverse. Others have become almost institutionalised, which means they will probably outlast even significant political change.

At least two reforms appear institutionalised and might be very difficult for any future leader to roll back.

The first is at Eskom, where the current leadership, CEO and board have been able to radically transform the entity. While they've had help (the huge increase in rooftop solar generation, for example), the fact is that they've been able to relegate load shedding to just a distant memory.

While it is always possible for an institution to be looted in the future, and for government to again mess up its planning, a more fundamental change has happened.

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