WarErZA - Interview With PRESIDENT SinisterSmiley 30/8

YOUR. VOICE. MATTERS.

“Promises Made, Presidency Delivered?”

THE PRESIDENT, ONE TERM LATER

WarErZA's Election Week reaches the Presidency.

https://app.warera.io/user/69ee3b2f915e8c144eb6662d entered office with a campaign built around balance: South Africa would support its allies without becoming their ATM, give its own citizens active wars to fight, and guard the independence the country had fought to reclaim.

Now, on the day before the presidential candidate debate, Sini looks back at that mandate from the other side of the office: what worked, where the country could have done better, and what the next government will inherit.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Responses have been lightly edited for spelling, grammar and formatting only. Meaning and tone are unchanged.

INTRO. To begin, could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little about who you are and your role in South Africa?

- Greetings, readers. SinisterSmiley here, but you can call me Sini. I have served in Congress with https://app.warera.io/user/691df63ad9075fc1dbfaa8e6, done two stints as MoFA alongside https://app.warera.io/user/69196f4f6021f881e21f90fb, and now serve as President of South Africa. Recently, I have also started helping with leadership in the Olive Union.

01. When you first ran for president, you described yourself as someone who had never originally intended to seek the office. Now that you’ve actually served as President, how has the experience compared with what you imagined it would be?

- I actually enjoyed it a lot. I love helping people, whether it's in another game (League) or IRL (IT), so it was very fulfilling not only to lead South Africa, but to assist people, help my cabinet and help our allies in the Olive Union.

At first, I thought I would struggle with time, but to be honest, I was already spending a lot of time online as MoFA. The main extra responsibility was managing battles. Decision-making we do as a team and, to be honest, I have a bit of decision-making paralysis. My specialty is bringing together all the facts and information to make the decision-making process easier and help steer it.

02. Your campaign centred heavily around the idea of “balance”. Looking back on the term, do you think your administration achieved that balance?

- I would like to think so. “Balance” was centred on bringing damage equal to or better than the money we sent to the alliance. Although we can't draw comparisons to when we had Steel, this month South Africa not only posted our highest all-time damage, but we also consistently hit 40-70m damage daily. Some weeks, we were serious competition for top-10 weekly damage, and I'm very proud of everyone for this.

Along with this, I frequently tell the government to take breaks if they are tired, and they know they can tap out at any time.

"South Africa not only posted our highest all-time damage, but we also consistently hit 40-70m damage daily"

03. One of your strongest campaign messages was that South Africa should no longer function as an “ATM” for its allies. Do you believe you succeeded in changing that?

- We did not manage to get any major item productions this month, but I think Pills went well for us. We showed some of the best profit numbers in Pill production I have seen since I started playing the game, and it was super fun RP.

I think this allowed us some freedom to support our allies with money transfers, but the main focus, as mentioned in the previous question, was balance: to show South Africa CAN be more than just an ATM. We are here to get stuck into fights and turn wars into victory. So I would say yes, we did succeed.

A word worth its promise

It would turn out, that the presidency was defined by a sense of balance: financial support was matched by meaningful South African military output, ensuring that resources translated into real strength on the battlefield. At the same time, citizens were given something to fight for and a reason to show up each day, helping sustain activity throughout the term.

Just as importantly, South Africa’s independence was protected while its relationships and partnerships across Africa were strengthened.

04. You also promised that financial support for allies would go hand-in-hand with active wars and something for South African players to actually do. Has ZA become a more active and engaging country during your presidency?

- Looking at myself, my cabinet and Congress, I would say this is one of the most active cabinets I have seen, and I think this attitude spreads down into the citizens. I had a lot more people actively engaging to learn and figure out war builds so that they can help contribute, and it shows in the numbers.

Even our eco members started showing up and donating to keep South Africa afloat during these tough times against Portugal, and as early as the Namibia days. I appreciate each and every citizen for their contributions.

05. Protecting South Africa’s independence was another major promise of your campaign. How secure do you believe South Africa’s independence and sovereignty are today compared with when you entered office?

- I'm not going to lie: it could be better. We know Portugal's intentions, but if I know anything about South Africans, we will not lie down and roll over for anyone. Right now we are still in a good place financially, our freedom is secured for now, and we are on good terms with Namibia and very good terms with all our other African brothers and sisters.

No surrender

Sini’s answers so far have stopped short of declaring South Africa fully secure. Portugal remains the obvious threat on the horizon, but the country has entered the next chapter from a position of relative strength: financially stable, diplomatically well connected, and, perhaps most importantly: with no apparent appetite for surrendering its independence quietly.

06. What accomplishment from this term are you personally most proud of? And on the other side of that, what promise or ambition from your campaign do you think you were least successful in delivering?

- I would say the above-mentioned involvement in war, and our nation showing up and sitting at the top of battle damage numbers, is one of my proudest moments for our citizens. As for myself personally, I am proud I made it through this month and managed to finish my day-job items, even though some nights I had to continue working at home, haha.

Financially, we COULD be better off. One could argue we once again sent a bit too much money, but honestly I think we were frugal enough. It could also be that we, myself included, do not know when to give up on a war. Whenever I think I can stuff more bounty into our fighters' pockets, you better know I'm going to click that bounty button, this was not the MoE's fault. https://app.warera.io/user/69f72b433d641e9efdbea2cf is honestly the best, and he prepared war budgets for me on the fly, and when I make the puppy-dog eyes, he frees up more budget. Love you, Juicy.

Also, selling some of the Royal herd. I'll never live that one down.

07. Before becoming President, you served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and spoke about diplomacy as something that should go beyond simply treating countries as allies or enemies on paper. Has being President changed that view at all?

- No. If anything, I have learned even more, especially since helping our leadership in OU. Working as high command, you really have to learn the word patience and how quickly a lack of it can affect alliances.

Guns N' Roses - "Patience" is going to be one of my most-listened-to songs, surely!

The best advice I can give anyone is to take a deep breath, go make coffee, and talk with a refreshed attitude. We are all here to have fun, so getting worked up should not be the case.

08. Has the reality of dealing with allies ever forced you to compromise on the independence or financial restraint you promised during the campaign?

- In the beginning of the month, we might have been a bit looser with our funds, but I think as the weeks passed we realised that we needed to lock it down and ensure we had a battle budget, as well as put not only ZA first, but the countries and friends around us that always support us - and put Africa first.

09. What has been the hardest part of the presidency that you simply couldn’t have understood before holding the office yourself?

- You need to get padding. A lot of it.

Being President makes you a punching bag, and the quicker you can adapt, teach and redirect them to do their kickboxing onto the enemy, the quicker you can be free of the pain. Take it on the chin and get back up.

The other thing is the sleeping schedule. I stay up late to deal with problems and then have to wake up at 6am with new problems.

10. When voters hear the presidential candidates debate tomorrow, what do you think they should be asking themselves before deciding who deserves to lead South Africa next? And looking at the South Africa you inherited and the South Africa you are now handing over, do you believe you fulfilled the mandate voters gave you?

- With the game changing a lot in the coming days, and whenever the movement update happens, the number-one thing I will be looking for, and that I think others should look for, is what plans the new government has for the new alliance split and what benefits each option will have for South Africa.

I will also be looking at who will continue to lead South Africa with the passion we did. I do not mince my words when I say the people I work with are amazing. We put a lot of love and effort into this, and I hope the next government will too.

I believe I am leaving the new government with all the information they need to make an informed decision. Until I go on leave, I will be here to vote and guide if needed.

FINAL. Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say in your own words that we haven’t touched on?

- South Africans are passionate, and I hope we will continue our passion and care for each other, no matter who takes over.

So much love to everyone who has supported me and has kept the South African flag high. Even if the Bokke drop the ball sometimes, you all don't, and you have been great.

Please make sure to join our community and actively take part in game chat or Discord. As these articles say: YOUR voice matters!

For all of our future

Sini leaves behind him a legacy of responsibility, courage, sleepless nights and an unbroken will. I think that I speak for all of South Africa, when I say thank you, and may we always follow in your example.

Tomorrow, election week draws to a penultimate close, as the live presidential debate kicks off at 20.00. Who will run, who will prevail and who prove that they are the right person for the job?

Answers to all of that and more, tomorrow.

Until then, this has been member of Congress, editor in chief and minister of Propaganda,

- Effie

Election Week is a special part of our community: eight days where journalism has one job, ask the questions, examine the answers, and give citizens what they need to make their choice

YOUR. VOICE. MATTERS.