Political pensioners need to learn when to let go - Analyst

Lester Kiewit speaks to Mpumelelo Mkhabela, political analyst.

Listen to the interview in the audio below.

There are numerous people responsible for the enormous task of running our country, who realistically should have considered retirement years ago.

Our current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is 72 this year, while Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma turn 82.

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Even the Minister in the presidency for youth, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is now 75.

These are just a few of the political pensioners that are currently sitting in office.

This does raise questions about whether some of the problems in our country can be attributed to politicians who are frankly too old or too tired to hold their positions.

“It is difficult when the old people in their 70s and 80s think of themselves as if they are in their 40s or 30s.”

- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, political analyst

Mkhabela says that while correlation is not causation, you can clearly see that many of these politicians were at their best in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

He says that South Africa needs more of these impressive younger people to move the country forward, not politicians in their 80s who have declined.

“It is about not knowing when to go.”

- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, political analyst

He adds that by not knowing when to move on, politicians are tarnishing their own legacies instead of quietly enjoying the fruits of their labour.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.