President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted that his presidency and the ANC failed to govern South Africa, saying they could have done better after the economy failed.
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He also stated that the country could have done better under his leadership, but added that there was still time for the ruling ANC to return if they were voted out.
Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town Community Hall last night.
Speaking in Zulu, Ramaphosa said ‘Sizobuya’ Zulu, which roughly translates to returning.
He stated that they would be able to return to what the ANC was.
Ramaphosa gave the example of a young woman named ‘Tintswalo’ who rose through the ranks and was able to support her family during his administration.
‘We have made a lot of mistakes as a country. We need to do more,’ Ramaphosa said.
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During his speech, Ramaphosa acknowledged the date of the national elections, which are expected this year.
‘These efforts to undo the hard-won gains of our freedom failed because the people of South Africa stood firm, together, in defence of our Constitution and its promise of a better life for all… It was the same determination that enabled the country to endure the devastation of Covid-19, the worst global pandemic in over a century.’
‘More than 100 000 South Africans lost their lives to the disease and two million people lost their jobs. Yet it would have been far worse if we had not acted together as one to stop the spread of the virus, to support our health workers, to protect the most vulnerable, and to roll out an unprecedented vaccination programme.’
‘We were able to unite society around a common effort to save lives and livelihoods.’
‘I want to pay tribute to the many thousands of South Africans who made financial contributions to the Solidarity Fund, to the workers who produced medical supplies, and to the nurses, doctors and other health workers who risked their lives to care for those who were ill. Another major challenge we had to address is gender-based violence and femicide which we characterised as the second pandemic,’ he said.
Opposition parties have used the opportunity to speak as one, claiming that Ramaphosa’s Sona was the same.
According to Democratic Alliance Leader John Steenhuisen, Ramaphosa has broken all of his promises over the last five years.
He stated that the state has regressed during this time.
‘In 2023 alone, 162,000 more people were pushed into poverty. According to the South African Reserve Bank, South Africa’s medium-term growth expectation of 1.1% does not match the prospected 1.5% population growth, meaning that South Africans continue to get poorer,’ he said.
‘According to the latest Corruption Perception Index, South Africa has fallen to its lowest levels ever recorded, scoring an abysmal 41 out of 100 on this globally respected index.’
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Picture: Jeffrey Abrahams / Gallo Images