Former South African cabinet minister and trade union leader Jay Naidoo has sent a stark letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, urging him to either lead the nation effectively or step down. Mr. Naidoo, a prominent figure in the anti-apartheid struggle, stated, "DEAR Mr President, I write to you not as a political opponent, but as someone who stood alongside you during the struggle for our freedom and who respects the office you occupy." He recalled their shared history, noting, "There was a time when you, as General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, and I, as General Secretary of COSATU, occupied two of the most significant leadership positions in South Africa’s mass democratic movement." Mr. Naidoo emphasized the personal risks they faced, stating, "We organised workers, communities and students knowing that detention, torture or assassination were real possibilities. The difference between life and death was often measured in days." He further reflected on the purpose of their struggle, asserting, "It was to build a country where every South African could live with dignity, justice and opportunity. That was the meaning of freedom in 1994."
Mr. Naidoo questioned the current state of the nation, asking, "Thirty years later, we must ask ourselves an uncomfortable question: have we fundamentally transformed that economy, or have we simply created a new politically connected elite alongside the old concentrations of wealth and economic power while millions remain excluded?" He reminded President Ramaphosa that "We did not inherit freedom. We earned it together with millions of workers, students, faith leaders, civic organisations and ordinary citizens who made apartheid impossible to govern." He stressed that "We did not defeat apartheid on the battlefield. We defeated it because ordinary people withdrew their consent, organised themselves and made negotiations inevitable." Mr. Naidoo noted the founding principles of the post-apartheid nation, stating, "We chose courage over revenge. We chose reconciliation over hatred. We chose constitutional democracy over permanent conflict."
Expressing concern for the public mood, Mr. Naidoo observed, "What I have encountered is not a nation without hope. It is a nation that feels abandoned. Our people remain generous. They remain resilient. But they no longer believe that those in power are listening." He condemned the current state of affairs, declaring, "This is not the freedom we struggled for. South Africa has every right to secure its borders, enforce its immigration laws and remove those who are in the country unlawfully through lawful processes. Every sovereign nation has that responsibility. But we cannot allow corruption, state failure and economic despair to be redirected into violence against vulnerable human beings." He identified key threats to the nation, stating, "The greatest threat to our democracy is not the foreigner seeking an honest livelihood. It is corruption. It is failed governance. It is organised crime. It is inequality. It is the steady erosion of public trust."
Mr. Naidoo showed the importance of constitutional freedoms, noting, "Those freedoms are sacred. But they are not a licence to threaten violence, spread hatred, intimidate communities, destroy infrastructure or take the law into one’s own hands. No individual or organisation has the right to hold our constitutional democracy hostage through fear or vigilantism." He warned against mob rule, stating, "The answer to failed governance cannot be mob rule. The answer to corruption cannot be lawlessness. The answer to economic exclusion cannot be violence against innocent people." He called on President Ramaphosa to act decisively, urging him to "Reassure South Africans that peaceful protest will always be protected. But make it equally clear that incitement to violence, attacks on migrants, destruction of public or private property, and attempts to undermine the rule of law will not be tolerated. That is your constitutional duty."
Mr. Naidoo emphasized the need to address underlying issues, stating, "Your greater responsibility is to remove the conditions that have allowed this anger to grow. Millions of South Africans have lost trust in government. They see corruption going unpunished. They see public money stolen while municipalities collapse, hospitals deteriorate, schools fail and young people remain unemployed. They see political connections rewarded while honesty, competence and entrepreneurship are left behind. These grievances are real. They cannot simply be condemned. They must be addressed." He called for greater transparency, stating, "Take the people of South Africa into your confidence. Tell the 65 million people you serve what action has been taken on the findings of the Zondo Commission and the many commissions of inquiry your government has established. Explain what has been achieved, what remains outstanding, and when those responsible for looting the public purse will finally be held accountable. Help us understand the threats facing our constitutional democracy. If there are organised groups, criminal syndicates or foreign interests seeking to destabilise our country, tell the nation what can responsibly be disclosed and, most importantly, what your government is doing about it. South Africans deserve facts, not rumours."
He argued that "Trust is rebuilt through honesty. We do not need more promises. We need action. Hold your Cabinet accountable. Hold your government accountable. Hold the public service accountable. Restore the integrity of our institutions. Root out corruption without fear or favour. Build an economy that rewards innovation, entrepreneurship and productive work, especially for those who were historically excluded. Too much of our economy remains concentrated in too few hands, while corruption and patronage have prevented meaningful economic transformation. Our
A Comrade's Plea for Action
Jay Naidoo began his communication to President Cyril Ramaphosa by asserting his shared past with the president, stating, "DEAR Mr President, I write to you not as a political opponent, but as someone who stood alongside you during the struggle for our freedom and who respects the office you occupy." Naidoo recounted their roles during the anti-apartheid movement, noting, "There was a time when you, as General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, and I, as General Secretary of COSATU, occupied two of the most significant leadership positions in South Africa’s mass democratic movement." He noted a photograph from the early 1990s that depicted himself, President Ramaphosa, John Gomomo, and Chris Hani, symbolizing their collective history.
Naidoo showed the personal risks involved in their activism, stating, "We organised workers, communities and students knowing that detention, torture or assassination were real possibilities. The difference between life and death was often measured in days." He further explained the ultimate goal of their struggle, asserting, "It was to build a country where every South African could live with dignity, justice and opportunity. That was the meaning of freedom in 1994."
Naidoo then presented a critical assessment of the current state of affairs, questioning, "Thirty years later, we must ask ourselves an uncomfortable question: have we fundamentally transformed that economy, or have we simply created a new politically connected elite alongside the old concentrations of wealth and economic power while millions remain excluded?" He also expressed concern about the erosion of public confidence, stating, "What I have encountered is not a nation without hope. It is a nation that feels abandoned. Our people remain generous. They remain resilient. But they no longer believe that those in power are listening."
He emphasized that "Trust is rebuilt through honesty. We do not need more promises. We need action." Naidoo called for decisive measures, urging the government to "Root out corruption without fear or favour" and to "Build an economy that rewards innovation, entrepreneurship and productive work, especially for those who were historically excluded."
Witnessing a Nation's Decay
Jay Naidoo recently traveled alone across South Africa for the past month, observing the nation's conditions firsthand. During his journey, he reported encountering collapsing municipalities, broken roads, failing hospitals, schools described as lacking dignity, and widespread corruption. Naidoo also witnessed what he characterized as poor South Africans turning against other poor Africans. He stated that the greatest threats to democracy are corruption, failed governance, organized crime, inequality, and the steady erosion of public trust.
Naidoo affirmed that South Africans retain the right to protest, speak freely, organize, assemble peacefully, and challenge those in power. However, he clarified that these freedoms do not extend to threatening violence, spreading hatred, intimidating communities, destroying infrastructure, or taking the law into one’s own hands. He delivered a strong critique of the current state of affairs, asserting, "The answer to failed governance cannot be mob rule. The answer to corruption cannot be lawlessness. The answer to economic exclusion cannot be violence against innocent people."
In his letter, Naidoo specifically asked President Ramaphosa to make it unequivocally clear to the public that incitement to violence, attacks on migrants, destruction of property, and any attempts to undermine the rule of law will not be tolerated.
Demands for Accountability and Trust
Jay Naidoo stated that South Africa maintains the right to secure its borders, enforce its immigration laws, and remove individuals unlawfully present in the country through legal processes. He emphasized that every sovereign nation bears this responsibility. Naidoo urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation and reassure South Africans that peaceful protest will always be protected. He specified, "Reassure South Africans that peaceful protest will always be protected. But make it equally clear that incitement to violence, attacks on migrants, destruction of public or private property, and attempts to undermine the rule of law will not be tolerated. That is your constitutional duty."
Naidoo called on the President to take the public into confidence regarding the actions taken on the findings of the Zondo Commission and the numerous other commissions of inquiry established by the government. He pressed for an explanation of what has been achieved, what remains outstanding, and when those responsible for misusing public funds would be held accountable. He requested clarity on threats facing the constitutional democracy, asking the President to disclose what could responsibly be shared about organized groups, criminal syndicates, or foreign interests seeking to destabilize the country, and what government measures were in place to counter them.
He further called for explicit accountability from the Cabinet, government, and public service. Naidoo stressed that trust is rebuilt through honesty and action, not merely more promises. He advocated for restoring the integrity of institutions and rooting out corruption without fear or favor. Naidoo also urged the President to foster an economy that rewards innovation, entrepreneurship, and productive work, particularly for historically excluded individuals. He noted that a significant portion of the economy remains concentrated in a few hands, while corruption and patronage have hindered meaningful economic transformation.
The Ultimate Choice: Lead or Resign
Jay Naidoo suggests that if the government demonstrates a lack of capacity, will, or moral authority to uphold its covenant with the people, President Cyril Ramaphosa should acknowledge this deficiency. According to Naidoo, such an admission would necessitate returning the mandate to the electorate. He also referenced the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, implying a potential benchmark for national progress or a point of reflection on the country's trajectory.
