According to EskomSePush (ESP), South Africa has experienced a total of 6,947 hours of shedding in 2023 and 455 hours in 2024 so far as it prepares for the State of the Union Address (SONA).
According to the Quarterly Labor Force Survey (QLFS) for the third quarter of 2023, the country's unemployment rate is 31.9 percent, which means 16.7 million people are unemployed in the country.
In an effort to gauge what South Africans want to hear from President Cyril Ramaphosa as he announces his eighth SONA, SABC Digital News contacted a number of civil society organizations and individuals.
Defending Democracy (DOD) National Commissioner Lekgotsfetse Chikane stressed the need to clarify the government's strategy to reduce unemployment. Mr Chikane questioned the government's approach and understanding of the issue and suggested that recognition of uncertainty and disclosure of the mechanisms being used could be beneficial.
Looking back at Prime Minister Ramaphosa's leadership over the past six years, the country faces challenges such as widespread power outages, unbearable increases in the cost of living, ever-increasing fuel prices, high unemployment and South Africa's relentless crime.
In November 2023, Major General Norman Sekhuhune of the South African Police Service (SAPS) revealed that nearly 7,000 people had been killed between July and the end of September.
Mr Sekhuhune said: “6,945 murders were reported, a decrease of 49 compared to 7,004 in the previous comparable quarter. Sexual offenses were 13,090, a decrease of 193; attempted murders were 13,090, a decrease of 193; 6,911 cases were reported, an increase of 756 cases.”
Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane acknowledged the need for an honest assessment of the country's future and expressed concern about fear-mongering tactics. He called on Ramaphosa to prepare the country for a transition, rather than labeling it as a regime change.
SECTION27 Executive Director Sasha Stevenson called for substantial investment in health and education systems during SONA. Mr. Stevenson emphasized the importance of these systems in addressing social issues, gender equality, climate change, and security. She lamented the decline in budgetary allocations and insufficient attention to these vital social services.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa is scheduled to present the eighth SONA at a joint session of the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday.
SONA will be held at Cape Town City Hall in response to the January 2022 fire at Parliament House. After the fire, the Department of Public Works set aside R2 billion for the restoration of Parliament House.
This year's SONA comes as the country celebrates its 30th anniversary of democracy and the country's seventh democratic election.
