All eyes will be on Ramaphosa at 7pm on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his ninth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday evening. Some analysts believe he should propose new reforms to help grow the economy and create jobs.
Economic growth
His party, the ANC, has unveiled a 10-point plan to grow the economy and create much-needed job opportunities for young people. South Africa’s economy has been stagnant since 2009, and youth unemployment stands at around 46%.
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Water
The other issue Ramaphosa is expected to address is the growing water crisis in most parts of South Africa. Ramaphosa’s government has been accused of failing to ensure that municipalities can deliver safe, clear running water to households.
The matter has been amplified by the outrage of communities in Johannesburg, who have accused the city’s mayor of being out of touch with the severity of the water crisis; some have complained that they have not had running water for almost a month.
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Foreign policy
Ramaphosa will also be expected to touch on the country’s foreign policy matters. These issues include tensions with Israel and South Africa’s strained relations with the United States (US), one of its biggest trading partners.
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Immigration
Ramaphosa is expected to touch on the issue of immigration, which has been a thorny issue for the ANC for some time. The party recognises South Africa as part of the diaspora family, but the influx of illegal immigrants has led to tensions with South Africans who have accused them to brining elements of criminality into the country. They have also accused them of burdening the health system and being partly to blame for the lack of jobs because they provide cheap labour.
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GNU balancing act
At the same time, Ramaphosa will have to please all the members of the government of national unity (GNU) in his speech since his party is no longer in full control of state power, and now has to share power with other parties, such as the DA.
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Military
Another challenging issue for the president is the austerity measures that his government has been taking over the last few years, which have resulted in the underfunding of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the navy. The portfolio committee on defence and some of the army generals have expressed concerns that the underfunding of the SANDF could compromise state security and leave the country vulnerable to attacks by international criminal syndicates.
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