Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his State of the Nation Address (Sona) to a nation with an all-time low interest due to persisting load shedding, joblessness and a fractured economy, among many other crises.
Described as a president with grand plans but no action, Ramaphosa will yet again outline this year’s government programmes to improve South Africa, while experts say last year's promises were similar to the previous year’s, but none had been accomplished.
Thursday’s Sona will be at the Cape Town City Hall for the second time following the fire that gutted Parliament in early 2022.
In his previous address, Ramaphosa promised that the government was taking a stand against corruption, and ensuring that those responsible for state capture were punished for their crimes.
He also highlighted plans to revitalise the economy, end poverty and unemployment, as well as inequality in the country.
Director at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, Zwelinzima Ndevu, said the “biggest downside of Ramaphosa is that very few of the things he has promised over the years have been done”.
“Last year's promises are similar to the previous year, but none are accomplished so far.
“He is a president with grand plans but no action,” Ndevu said. He said he hoped the energy crisis and the crippling unemployment gripping he country would be at the top of Ramaphosa’s agenda.
“We expect the energy crisis to be on the main agenda of the president as it affects a number of sectors.
“We also expect to see the high unemployment rate, a strategy to grow the economy, the issues of safety within communities, specifically regarding recent mass killings, to take priority.
“Another important issue is the ineffectiveness of the government,” Ndevu said.
Political analyst Dr Ongama Mtimka urged Ramaphosa to ensure urgency in tackling corruption.
“When it comes to corruption, there does not seem to be any kind of urgency.
We haven’t seen any successful convictions beyond Hollywood-style arrests. It would be good if they culminated in people being held accountable.
Whistle-blowers are still facing challenges of feeling unsafe in this country and that dampens efforts to fight against corruption.
“We also need the ANC to lead from a party-based point of view and begin to unblock some of the blockages which hold accountability to ransom because of political interference in some municipalities. You will find that Auditor-General findings and internal audit findings are not being acted on because some regional bigwigs are acting in cahoots with ANC factions and are frustrating processes of correction,” Mtimka said.
Economics lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Economic Science at Nelson Mandela University, Dr Asanda Fotoyi, said: “None of the promises made in last year's Sona have been fulfilled in terms of tackling issues related to electricity. Load shedding has got worse from the second half of 2022 –crippling our already fragile economy.
“Unemployment remains a crisis, especially youth unemployment. I am hoping to hear more about how the government will continue to support youth entrepreneurship through the NYDA, as the president mentioned in his 8th January 2023 speech in a bid to tackle issues of youth unemployment.
“On corruption, we have seen prominent figures and ex-executives appearing in court, but we need to see more convictions to send a clear message.”
Action Society director of community safety Ian Cameron said Ramaphosa had failed to tackle crime.
“During last year's Sona, in his only mention of the crime situation, President Ramaphosa said that the government would be ‘intensifying the fight against gender-based violence and femicide’ through various plans and legislation.
“In the past year, 1 216 children were murdered. That is 200 more murdered children than the previous year. In the past year, sexual offences increased with more than 1 000 cases to 53 125.
We want to hear no more lies. Stop making promises, plans and committees, and start effectively making South Africa safer,“ said Cameron.
Cape Times