This evening's State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Cyril Ramaphosa is proof that the President has chosen to put the interests of the ANC ahead of the interests of all South Africans. Despite the desperate need for immediate action to fight unemployment, corruption and crime, the President failed to take the difficult decisions required - preferring to put the ANC ahead of South Africa.
His fa ade of talk-shops, summits, commissions, and meetings have yielded no tangible change to the lives of those left behind - most importantly the almost 10 million unemployed South Africans.
Ramaphosa's first year as President has been a State of No Action . He is incapable of leading a government that can manage the real problems South Africa faces. South Africans rightly expected more from Cyril Ramaphosa and we share their disappointment at what was effectively a wish list devoid of any real, workable plans.
The President's address was a laundry list of empty promises. In his SONA last year, the President also made many promises. He said corruption will be rooted out in the public sector, but not one ANC politician has been arrested - including those embroiled in the Bosasa and VBS scandals. Corruption remains firmly rooted in the very DNA of the ANC.
In his SONA last year, the President also spoke about all the many interventions government made into the economy, but today our economy is still on its knees. Today, 25 000 more young people are unemployed than in 2018, with expanded unemployment for young people at 50.1%.
The President's SONA provided no plan of action to break down the wall that exists between the insiders and the outsiders - the haves and the have nots in our nation. Tinkering with the current policies that have not brought change to the lives of our people is not enough.
After the surge of optimism that saw Jacob Zuma removed and Ramaphosa elected President, we are bitterly disappointed because there has been little progress over the past year. After 12 months at the helm, the structural problems in our economy and government remain. Our communities remain unsafe, services are still not being delivered fast enough, government is riddled with corruption, and our borders are not secure.
The President has taken a step in the right direction by beginning the breakup of Eskom, however he hasn't gone far enough. These entities will still fall under the same holding company - Eskom - and South Africans will still pay for corruption and mismanagement at the bloated entity.
The DA has been pushing for Eskom to be split up into two entities - one to generate electricity and the other to distribute and transmit. This will allow greater competition in the energy sector, ensuring prices are lowered for all South Africans. Moreover, well-functioning metropolitan municipalities must be allowed to source clean, renewal energy from independent power producers. Only these steps will transform the energy sector, stabilise supply, and lower costs.
In terms of the National Health Insurance (NHI), we reject this nationalisation of our health services. An ANC that is embroiled in corruption and cannot get the basics of governance right, cannot be trust with control over the health of our nation. NHI pilot projects have failed abysmally already. If a pilot project is unsuccessful, there is no chance that it will be successful nationally. The NHI will do to the health sector what Eskom has done to the energy sector.
The President reaffirmed the ANC's plan to expropriate land without compensation, with Deputy President David Mabuza set to lead this process. This is an assault on the Constitution and private property rights and is solely to enrich the ANC elite. Rather than meddling with the Constitution, the government must put its money where its mouth is and fund land reform . Right now, the government spends more on VIP protection for politicians than it does on land reform.
The President has failed to present an agenda for reform. He is simply toeing ANC party line because Cyril Ramaphosa is the ANC, and the ANC is Cyril Ramaphosa. The ANC cannot self-correct - it must be removed from government in order for our nation to get working again.
The President wants to create jobs in the agricultural sector, yet also amend the Constitution to create legal uncertainty.
He wants to reform education, yet will not stand up to SADTU when they protect under-performing, under-trained and absent teachers.
And he wants to provide free higher education, yet has failed to address Early Childhood Development and ensure our children stay in school.
Only the DA can manage the real problems South Africa faces. Our track record speaks for itself. Where we govern, we govern well and get stuff done. And we have a solid agenda with workable solutions.
The only game-changer and space to watch is 8 May 2019 when the people of South Africa remove the ANC and elect a DA government that will build One South Africa for All.
Tags: Democratic Alliance (DA)Mmusi MaimaneSouth AfricaState of the Nation
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
This evening's State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Cyril Ramaphosa is proof that the President has chosen to put the interests of the ANC ahead of the interests of all South Africans. Despite the desperate need for immediate action to fight unemployment, corruption and crime, the President failed to take the difficult decisions required - preferring to put the ANC ahead of South Africa.
