African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address shows the government is working to tackle challenges the country faces.
He was referring to the President’s declaration of national state of disaster over the country’s energy crisis as an important intervention.
During his State of the Nation Address on Thursday night Ramaphosa announced that the state of disaster would be effective immediately – and that he would in addition appoint a minister of electricity in the Presidency, who will oversee all aspects of the country’s electricity crisis response.
Mbalula, speaking during a post-SONA media briefing earlier, has welcome announcements by the president.
“We are determined to work with the people of South Africa, to ensure that the ANC-led government takes necessary measures to tackle poverty, unemployment, inequality, the rising cost of living, crime and corruption. The SONA has also strengthened the resolve to lift people out of poverty and unemployment through the social wage, which includes public employment programmes and social grants.”
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula holds a media engagement to reflect on the 2023 SONA:
![[File photo] A man crosses a flooded bridge, caused by heavy rains, in kwaNdengezi near Durban, South Africa, May 22, 2022.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/U3BL2HUGLBJB7DRG45K5VSP2GE-75x75.jpg)
