The tide has turned: We are entering the second age of hope 

There are moments in any nation’s journey when the tide turns indiscernibly at first, until it gathers an irreversible momentum. South Africa is at that moment. After years of institutional decline, economic stagnation and social uncertainty, the tide is now turning. A second age of hope is taking shape. Sadly, those whose eyes have been trained to see only failure and disaster are unlikely to notice that the tide is turning.

For too long, our democratic institutions were hollowed out and battered by the corrosive effects of state capture. Confidence collapsed, corruption became institutionalised, and the machinery of state was repurposed to serve families and partisan interests. Under Ramaphosa’s watch, the South African Revenue Service, once hollowed out, has been rebuilt into a world-class tax agency. Law-enforcement agencies, long compromised, have regained their independence and credibility.

The South African government has made significant strides in bolstering institutional integrity and fiscal discipline. Key achievements include exiting the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October, following robust anti-money laundering reforms, which enhance the country’s global financial standing and investor confidence. Credit rating agency S&P issued its first upgrade since 2008. 

Economic indicators reflect a tide that is turning, with the third quarter of 2025 marking four consecutive quarters of expansion at 0.5% GDP growth, driven by mining, agriculture, services and manufacturing. State-owned enterprises are rebounding: Eskom not only ended load-shedding but also reported a R24.3 billion profit (37% higher than 2024); SAA and PRASA have also been turned around.

The country is witnessing its largest infrastructure build programme in years, unlocking investment in roads, water infrastructure, logistics corridors and energy transmissions. Over a million young South Africans have been absorbed into the labour market through the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

We are making strides in our war on poverty. According to Statistics South Africa’s latest “Poverty Trends in South Africa: An examination of absolute poverty between 2006 and 2023” report, released on the 11th of December 2025, poverty levels have shown a significant decline over the past 17 years. This progress is most pronounced among Black African and Coloured populations, thanks to the government’s targeted social and economic interventions.

Education continues to show unprecedented progress. From record matric pass rates in historically disadvantaged schools to the expansion of early childhood development, the doors of learning and culture continue to be flung wide open. TVET reform, artisan training and transformation in universities are reaffirming South Africa as an intellectual hub on the continent.

Perhaps one of the most understated achievements of the Ramaphosa era is the restoration of South Africa’s moral authority and diplomatic weight on the global stage. From chairing the African Union to leading the G20, South Africa has reclaimed its position as a global leader and trusted voice of reason.

At home, business, labour, civil society, and government are collaborating in ways unseen in over a decade. Across communities, a renewed spirit of civic responsibility is taking shape, a demonstration of a nation that refuses to surrender to despair.

Perhaps at this point, we must invite sceptics to look at how far we have travelled in just a few years of disciplined and principled governance. For too long, critics have clung to the tired narrative that President Ramaphosa is “indecisive”, a deliberately engineered fallacy that has been pursued zealously over the years. This fallacy has been repeated so often that some among us accept it as gospel truth. Yet the facts paint a very different picture. Decisiveness is not measured by how loudly one shouts but by the courage to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions.

It was Ramaphosa who confronted state capture directly and empowered law-enforcement institutions to do their work. It was Ramaphosa who stabilised energy supply and public finances, revived SARS, restored the NPA’s integrity, revitalised infrastructure development and positioned South Africa at the centre of global diplomacy. These are not the actions of an indecisive leader. When he was appointed Minister of Electricity, many dismissed this move as irrational and laughable. Today, the results are there for all to see. Now, detractors are looking for a place to hide.  

South Africa is not a broken and hopeless country portrayed by prophets of doom. It is a nation healing itself from years of state capture. It is a nation turning the corner, revitalising its institutions and rebuilding itself, brick by brick. Together, we stand on the threshold of the second age of hope. Yes, the tide has turned, and South Africa will rise again.

By Cornelius Tanana Monama.  Cornelius Tanana Monama is a government communicator. He writes in his personal capacity.