President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday (8/2) at 19:00. He will highlight problems and lay out the government’s major policy objectives and targets for the upcoming year.

A political analyst says SONA creates expectations and what was said during the address must be implemented in some way. “Generally speaking, this is going to be the most difficult budget since 1994, and the president made many promises,” said NWU political analyst Prof. André Duvenage.

“To name a few, the continuation of the extended social grant which 25 million people benefit from, and the takeover of Eskom’s debt. This will put huge pressure on the fiscus”.

NWU political analyst Prof. André Duvenage said this is going to be the most difficult budget since 1994. Picture: news.nwu.ac.za.

“This year’s State of the Nation Address will be misused by President Ramaphosa as an election address. He will tell the people of South Africa how good the opposition party was for the last thirty years,” said Freedom Front Plus leader Dr. Pieter Groenewald.

“The reality is a poor economy, unemployment, the electricity crisis, and many other crises in South Africa. We expect the president to tell the people of South Africa how he is going to ensure that those crises are going to be solved for the future.”

This year’s State of the Nation Address will be misused by President Ramaphosa as an election address said Dr. Pieter Groenwald. Picture: vfplus.org.za.

Opposition parties expect little from the SONA as many promises have been made and not fulfilled. “As the opposition, we have very low expectations because this last SONA before the elections should be a reflection on what was achieved during the time of President Ramaphosa since 2019,” said DA MP Werner Horn.

“The reality in respect of none of the bold promises he made over the years not much has materialised. Because we are seeing more load shedding now than ever before and youth unemployment rates have consistently climbed over the last few years.”

Little is expected by opposition parties for this year's SONA said DA MP Werner Horn. Picture: pa.org.za.

ActionSA President Herman Mashaba shared tangible plans he would implement if elected into government to turn around South Africa’s decay and restore it to a path of prosperity.

ActionSA President Herman Mashaba said he would turn around South Africa’s decay. Picture: actionsa.org.za 

“South Africa does not need another SONA filled with empty promises. Instead, we need a solutions-based alternative to the failed political establishment with real, tangible plans to fix South Africa, and put it back on a path of prosperity,” said Mashaba.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame  dg