Tony Leon, Author at Tony Leon

End of ‘natural’ governments: Once dominant parties in UK and SA face electoral extinction
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End of ‘natural’ governments: Once dominant parties in UK and SA face electoral extinction

African National Congress (ANC), British politics, Cyril Ramaphosa, EFF, International Politics, Margaret Thatcher, MK, South African Politics, UK Politics

End of ‘natural’ governments: Once dominant parties in UK and SA face electoral extinction

As the UK’s Conservative Party faces potential extinction after 200 years of dominance and South Africa’s ANC struggles with similar decline, Tony Leon argues that the era of “natural parties of government” is over, replaced by voter disillusionment that demands the kind of decisive, conviction-based leadership exemplified by Margaret Thatcher rather than today’s consensus-seeking politicians. Today, here [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-10-08T06:02:08+00:00October 8th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), British politics, Cyril Ramaphosa, EFF, International Politics, Margaret Thatcher, MK, South African Politics, UK Politics|0 Comments

From Zuma to Ramaphosa: How state capture and conspiracies evolve, but never end
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From Zuma to Ramaphosa: How state capture and conspiracies evolve, but never end

African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Elections, International Politics, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics

From Zuma to Ramaphosa: How state capture and conspiracies evolve, but never end

From the R2 billion Tembisa Hospital looting spree to punitive racial quotas that could bankrupt retailers, the government continues to simultaneously rely on business to fix state failures while treating the private sector as an enemy of the people, argues Tony Leon. About a decade ago, I addressed a group of business leaders in Durban [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-10-01T10:07:30+00:00October 1st, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Elections, International Politics, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics|0 Comments

Emperor Ramaphosa pointed out his own nakedness, and then retreated
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Emperor Ramaphosa pointed out his own nakedness, and then retreated

African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Obama, South African Politics, World Politics

Emperor Ramaphosa pointed out his own nakedness, and then retreated

In a rare moment of political honesty that sent shockwaves through the ANC, President Cyril Ramaphosa told his councillors to learn from DA municipalities - only to quickly retreat when the uncomfortable truth about his party’s failures sparked internal fury and opposition glee, writes Tony Leon There is evidence to suggest that most South Africans believe the [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-09-24T05:39:38+00:00September 24th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Obama, South African Politics, World Politics|0 Comments

A disUnited States of America: Charlie Kirk’s killing crosses new lines
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A disUnited States of America: Charlie Kirk’s killing crosses new lines

African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Charlie Kirk, Chris Hani, FW de Klerk, International Politics, Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, South African Politics, United States, US elections, US President, World Politics

A disUnited States of America: Charlie Kirk’s killing crosses new lines

It is too soon to reckon the consequences in America and the world after last week’s events. Except for the obvious conclusion that the boundaries in which normal political events and discourse are bordered have been stretched ever further, writes Tony Leon. George Bernard Shaw’s mordant line that “assassination is the extreme form of censorship” got [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-09-17T05:45:47+00:00September 17th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), American Politics, Charlie Kirk, Chris Hani, FW de Klerk, International Politics, Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, South African Politics, United States, US elections, US President, World Politics|0 Comments

Hirohito moment: Ramaphosa claims graft ‘cannot take root’ as state is devoured
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Hirohito moment: Ramaphosa claims graft ‘cannot take root’ as state is devoured

African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics, zondo

Hirohito moment: Ramaphosa claims graft ‘cannot take root’ as state is devoured

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest newsletter on fighting corruption reads like a masterclass in denial and euphemism, claiming South Africa must “build a society in which corruption cannot take root” while keeping Zondo Commission-implicated ministers in his Cabinet and failing to prosecute a single politician, despite overwhelming evidence of state capture, argues Tony Leon. On August [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-09-10T05:42:03+00:00September 10th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics, zondo|0 Comments

From Iran’s Shah to ANC’s echo chambers – Lessons in political delusion
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From Iran’s Shah to ANC’s echo chambers – Lessons in political delusion

African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, International Politics, Iran, Middle East, Thabo Mbeki, United States, World Politics

From Iran’s Shah to ANC’s echo chambers – Lessons in political delusion

Former president Thabo Mbeki’s lecture on historical materialism to KZN ANC comrades reveals a farcical ideological battle between the ANC and SACP over revolutionary labels, while real crises like mass job losses go unaddressed - echoing the dangerous political delusions and echo chambers that Scott Anderson’s new book shows led to Iran’s catastrophic 1979 revolution, [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-09-03T10:04:24+00:00September 3rd, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, International Politics, Iran, Middle East, Thabo Mbeki, United States, World Politics|0 Comments

Remember, ‘all politics is local’
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Remember, ‘all politics is local’

African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics, Ukraine, zelensky

Remember, ‘all politics is local’

South Africa’s leadership – “the lanyard class” – is dangerously disconnected from domestic realities, prioritising international engagement over pressing local concerns. And it will affect the outcome of elections, writes Tony Leon. In December 2019, former British prime minister, Boris Johnson, used Trumpian populism when he won the election on the back of Brexit. Though earlier [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-08-27T06:13:49+00:00August 27th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, South African Politics, Ukraine, zelensky|0 Comments

Weep The Prince: Ramaphosa’s failure of Machiavellian leadership
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Weep The Prince: Ramaphosa’s failure of Machiavellian leadership

African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Jacob Zuma, John Steenhuisen, South African Politics

Weep The Prince: Ramaphosa’s failure of Machiavellian leadership

By using Machiavelli to diagnose Ramaphosa and the ANC’s leadership, Tony Leon argues that they have achieved the worst possible outcome - neither feared nor loved by voters. The works of Niccolò Machiavelli - the medieval Florentine philosopher and diplomat - are still cited as a how-to manual for effective leadership in all realms. Machiavelli’s reputation as [...]

By Tony Leon|2025-08-20T05:22:31+00:00August 20th, 2025|African National Congress (ANC), Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Jacob Zuma, John Steenhuisen, South African Politics|0 Comments

Spot the difference: From Botha to Mbalula, same script, different stage
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Spot the difference: From Botha to Mbalula, same script, different stage

African National Congress (ANC), Botha, Codesa, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, Fikile, John Steenhuisen, Mazibuko, Mbalula, Meyer, South African Politics

Spot the difference: From Botha to Mbalula, same script, different stage

In a striking historical irony, the ANC’s defiant rhetoric against Western sanctions eerily mirrors PW Botha’s failed 1986 stance, while the party’s romanticised invocation of Codesa for today’s National Dialogue fundamentally misunderstands how apartheid actually ended – through backroom bilateral negotiations, not public consultation, writes Tony Leon. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”, is [...]