2016 has been a tough year: analyst
Political commentator Justice Malala told Jacaranda FM's Complimentary Breakfast that 2016 has been a tough year, but that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
"We began our descent last year, but looking at the events of the past 12 months, I was really concerned about South Africa but I see some goods thing happening," Malala said.
"I think it will get worse in the short-term, but in the long-term things are looking up. I think we have levelled off," he said.
He warns there might be an even steeper road ahead for the country.
"I am deeply concerned about the new public protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. She is acting in a manner saying that the people in power are always right," Malala said.
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Malala also touched on the Fees Must Fall protests that made headlines this year, saying he anticipates more violence and protests from students in 2017.
"We need to ask - are these protests really about fees. Topics like decolonisation as well as outsourcing have also arisen in the protests," Malala said.
He says the underlying issues are linked to the state of our society as well as transformation.
"I don't think the Fees Must Fall movement is only about fees. Fees is a cloak for underlying issues," Malala said.
This while the new Public Protector has indicated that she plans on hitting the ground running in 2017.
Mkhwebane did not have the best of starts to her seven-year term when she refused to attend a parliamentary briefing. Yesterday she met with justice minister, Michael Masutha, to discuss a better working relationship between government and her office.