President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Union Address (Sona) on Thursday sounded like a stump speech designed to address the ANC base with the election in mind.
As expected, the speech reminded South Africans of how far they had come since their first democratic elections in 1994.
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Watch or read the full speech here.
As such, it was a highlight reel spanning three decades, evoking the spirit and struggle of Nelson Mandela.
Mr Ramaphosa tells the story of the ANC through the eyes of children born after 1994 who live in state-provided homes, enjoy free healthcare and free schooling, and whose families have access to clean water and electricity for the first time. He talked about the achievements of the government.
He joked that “my pen is ready” to sign the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) bill, which the industry believes is unworkable. I don't believe I can reliably pay.
“We plan to implement the NHI in stages, addressing issues such as health system financing, health workers, medical products, vaccines and technology, and health information systems,” Ramaphosa said.
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National health insurance means a 31% increase in taxes and a 69% reduction in benefits for members of the health scheme.
He also praised the government's efforts to hold those responsible for state capture to account, amid jeers and cheers from parliament.
Undaunted, he detailed the steps taken by law enforcement agencies to combat corruption. More than 200 people have been charged with state expropriation, with R14 billion of assets frozen by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit and R8.6 billion of corruption proceeds returned to the state.
A bill is currently being submitted to Parliament to establish the Directorate General of Investigations as a permanent body with full investigative powers.
“We will not stop until all those responsible for corruption are held accountable.
“We will not stop until we recover all the stolen money. We will not stop until corruption becomes history.”
These are words he may soon regret saying.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa reminded his country of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and welcomed the International Court of Justice's ruling. He then attacked members of Congress who disagreed with his views, drawing applause from his supporters.
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All key constituencies were pampered, from workers to women, young people, the disabled and marginalized groups.
sunshine and roses
It was a rosy picture of this country, with nothing but blue skies. Businesses are investing, farmers are planting, black South Africans are increasing ownership of businesses and farmland, and more people have jobs than before COVID-19.
Plans to abolish load shedding (and more heckling) are proceeding as planned under the National Energy Crisis Commission.
“We are delivering on our commitment to bring significant new power to the grid through private investment, which is already contributing to reduced load shedding,” Ramaphosa added.
The electricity crisis has been ameliorated with tax incentives and financial support, and 2,500MW of solar and wind power has been brought onto the grid, with three times that amount currently being procured and under construction.
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To prevent such a crisis from happening again, the energy system is being reformed to become more competitive and sustainable.
Over 14,000km of new transmission lines will be built in the coming years to accommodate renewable energy. An electricity regulation reform bill has been introduced in Parliament that would support the restructuring of Eskom, establish a competitive electricity market and create thousands of new jobs.
The Northern Cape is home to a green energy revolution and the Boegoebai Port Special Economic Zone is planned to represent this.
Mr Ramaphosa noted that the broadband spectrum auction had taken place after more than a decade of delays, resulting in new investment, lower data costs and improved network coverage and quality. Home Internet access increased from less than 50% in 2011 to 79%.
water, education, subsidies
The President listed more than a dozen water projects, starting with the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which aims to achieve water security for the country.
Sanral has awarded more than 1,200 projects worth around R120 billion, and cabinet recently approved a high-speed rail framework, starting with the Joburg-Durban corridor.
ramaphosa He praised the 82.9% university acceptance rate in 2023 and welcomed the closing of the gap in performance between wealthy and poor institutions.
The Social Distress Relief Grant, introduced during the coronavirus pandemic, currently benefits nine million people and is set to be extended and improved in the future. What was intended as a temporary measure is now looking permanent. Social assistance has been shown to increase school enrollment and attendance, reduce dropout rates and improve success rates, he said.
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How has the social grant system changed since 1994?
Statistics and other statistics
There were numerous statistics that supported the president's assertion that things rarely get better. The average life expectancy of South Africans has increased from 54 years in 2003 to 65 years in 2023, and the number of people infected with HIV has decreased, with nine out of 10 people surviving. in a formal residence. An additional 20,000 police officers have been added, and Operation Chanera, which targets high-crime areas, has led to 285,000 arrests since May 2023.
“We should not yield to those who resist the responsibility that our Constitution imposes on all of us to right the injustices of the past and fundamentally transform our economy and society,” he said.
“We remind these people of the obligation that the Constitution imposes on the state to progressively realize the rights of all to housing, health care, food, water, social security, security and education. I have to let you.”
After all, this was a rallying cry for the ANC's support base, but his assessment of the national situation was selective.
“Likewise, we should not allow anyone to undermine vital democratic institutions, disrespect the judiciary, or challenge the constitutional authority of this Congress.”
Perhaps it was aimed at the EFF member states that filibustered in 2023, resulting in new rules for joint sessions that specifically prohibit interruptions during the presidential handover of Sona.
