Practical Reason

ANTHONY BUTLER: The DA and Action SA: unnatural born partners First published in Business Day. 10 SEPTEMBER 2020 The rebirth of the DA was not a natural event. It was a caesarean section, in which the scalpels were wielded by the “independent review panel” that diagnosed the DA’s 2019 election debacle. The panellists — party strategist Ryan …

Continue reading "Mashaba’s ActionSA and the DA are natural coalition partners"

ANTHONY BUTLER: Ramaphosa extends theme of Good ANC v Bad ANC Party’s national executive committee meets this week to discuss president’s recent comments on corruption  BusinessLive 28 AUGUST 2020 ANTHONY BUTLER The ANC’s national executive committee will convene this weekend to solemnly contemplate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent lamentations about the scourge of corruption. This latest …

Continue reading "Ramaphosa’s empty letter to ANC cadres"

ANTHONY BUTLER: After his rise, Ace Magashule is unlikely to fall too far Businesslive 24 August 2020 South Africans should be feeling quite sorry for ANC secretary-general Elias Sekgobelo Magashule. The Tumahole schoolboy earned the nickname “Ace” for his skills on the soccer pitch, where he was reportedly a midfield terrier. This brave young man risked his …

Continue reading "Blaming Ace Magashule"

ANTHONY BUTLER: Predictions not rosy about SA in a post-Covid world Economic crisis will weaken Cyril Ramaphosa’s position ahead of ANC 2022 elective conference BL PREMIUM 30 JULY 2020 - 15:59 ANTHONY BUTLER Predicting the future is a hazardous business at the best of times. However, a growing number of futurologists see the IMF playing a …

Continue reading "A full IMF bailout before the 2024 elections?"

ANTHONY BUTLER: A BIG mistake to save an unaffordable minister’s job? Estimates of the proposed grant’s cost are about R200bn a year BL PREMIUM 16 JULY 2020 The basic income grant, sometimes referred to as BIG, is a superficially attractive idea, but one that obviously won’t be realised any time soon. How should we interpret urgent …

Continue reading "Basic income grant rises from the political grave"

ANTHONY BUTLER: If the cuts start, praise will stop, and blame begin The finance minister’s chances of implementing reform are small, as shrinking the public sector will hit resistance Business Day 02 JULY 2020 In a democracy, the survival of political parties and their leaders turns on praise and blame. When times are good, politicians …

Continue reading "Politics of blame will scupper Mboweni reforms"

ANTHONY BUTLER: Are judges ignoring dangers so eccentrics can rule? The Constitutional Court’s ruling in favour of unaffiliated individuals fails to understand our electoral system Business Day 18 JUNE 2020 Picture: 123RF/EVGENYI LASTOCHKIN     On occasion, the highest court in the land can deliver a judgment that is truly baffling to simple-minded folk. Last …

Continue reading "Judicial dreamers"

ANTHONY BUTLER: Is the government sloppy or is it indifferent to judicial scrutiny? Constitutional crisis beckons if the executive wilfully violates the law and ignores judicial instructions 04 JUNE 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa chairing a virtual meeting of the National Command Council from his official residency Mahlamba Ndlopfu. Picture: GCIS/JARIUS MMUTLE       The …

Continue reading "Thinking about constitutional crises"

ETC 22 May 2020 draft

ANTHONY BUTLER: The faithful outnumber the whingers, as the ANC well knows SA is an overwhelmingly God-fearing nation, which is why reopening places of worship may play to the ANC’s conservative base  BL PREMIUM 28 MAY 2020 - 16:53 The good citizens of the suburbs have struggled in recent weeks to understand the government’s Covid-19 …

Continue reading "The political rationale for lockdown regulations"