I felt for President Cyril Ramaphosa as he announced his coronavirus economic package to the nation on TV on Tuesday night. He looked even more stiff and uncomfortable in front of the camera than usual.

He must have been full of doubt. At best, when it comes to business and finance, Ramaphosa is a cautious and conventional thinker. And as he spoke I suspect he knew, as did most of the people listening to him, that what he was promising was a wing and a prayer...