North West’s official opposition has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s opening of parliament address (OPA), which marked the beginning of the seventh term of government and Parliament.

In his address delivered last night, Ramaphosa commended the Government of National Unity (GNU) for its collaborative efforts despite political differences and emphasised a commitment to an inclusive society. He focused primarily on job creation and economic growth.

However, North West EFF Secretary Papiki Babuile expressed strong disapproval, accusing Ramaphosa of speaking as if he’s a newly appointed head of state.

“We are shocked by how President Ramaphosa delivered his speech because he spoke as if he had never been president before. The commitments made now were commitments that were made by the ANC many years back, and we were so shocked that he did not give us feedback on what he had achieved in the previous years.

“This shows that the ANC does not care about our people and will always give out empty promises,” Babuile said, emphasising that the EFF will hold Ramaphosa accountable for his promises.

‘GNU playing a significant role’

South Africa’s democracy is entering a new phase, with the GNU playing a significant role, commented North West University political analyst André Duvenhage. He highlighted the focus is now on integrated economic growth, good governance, the rule of law, and the appointment of capable and qualified individuals to senior positions in municipalities.

Ramaphosa pledged to implement systems to ensure the appointment of capable and qualified people to senior municipal positions. He also promised to complete the most significant transformation of South Africa’s electricity industry in over a century.

The president said there has been tremendous progress in reducing the severity of load shedding since the introduction of the Energy Action Plan in 2022.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg