President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening. The Economic Freedom Fighters have vowed to disrupt Ramaphosa’s speech once more, as South Africans expect an end to the energy crisis as the cost of living continues to rise.
Video: Expectations
No plans to address challenges
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Chief Whip Narend Singh says there are great expectations from citizens who want an end to the energy crisis. This is ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
Some top challenges facing the country include persisting high stages of load shedding, crumbling infrastructure, a high unemployment rate, and constant rising inflation.
Singh says after nearly three decades of the ANC government in power, it’s clear that the party does not have plans or solutions to address these challenges.
‘Concrete plans to address energy crisis’
The Democratic Alliance MP, Kevin Mileham says President Ramaphosa needs to put concrete plans to address the energy and electricity crisis in South Africa.
“The energy and the electricity crisis in SA is the number one priority for our country for our economy and for the wellbeing of our citizens. We have the unemployment rate in the world and it can be directly attributed to 15 years of rolling blackouts and load shedding. So we need to prioritise addressing the electricity and energy crisis. And the president needs to say this is what we are going to do and this is when we are going to do it and this is how we are going to do it.”
‘Step down’
Meanwhile, the African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyolwethu Zungula says Ramaphosa should step down as the country’s President, instead of reshuffling his Cabinet.
Zungula says Ramaphosa is leading a ruling party that has failed South Africans.
“He should be the one resigning, he’s the one leading a ship and clearly if you look at the state of the country, he’s been performing dismally since 2018. So if there’s any resignation that the nation would really appreciate it is the resignation of Ramphosa.”
Phala Phala matter
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has vowed to disrupt the President’s speech again. While PAC General Secretary Apa Pooe says President Ramaphosa should not be allowed to deliver his State of the Nation Address because he has a case to answer regarding the Phala Phala farm.
“It cannot be that we are having the state president who has the cloud hanging over his head, the state president who has an allegation of having committed a criminal offence going to deliver the state of the nation address.”
