President Cyril Ramaphosa, responding to the State of the Nation Address, has defended his vision and dream for South Africa for the next 10 years. He says his plan is tangible, practical and achievable.
Opposition parties criticised the President for making reference to dreams of a new city and bullet trains during his speech, saying he must wake up and stop dreaming.
In his reply on Wednesday afternoon Ramaphosa likened their comments to the attitude that was given political activists who were fighting the oppression regime.
“This is precisely what happened with the Freedom Charter whose anniversary we should note today. There were those who initially ridiculed and dismissed it and then they opposed it and went beyond opposing it and arrested thousands of people because they dared to dream.”
President @CyrilRamaphosa responding to the #SONADebate in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/i4qtTj2DS5
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 26, 2019
The President says South Africans should look forward to clear deliverables over the next few months.
Amendment of Section 25
The President has called on the sixth Parliament to finalise the amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.
After conducting public hearings, the fifth Parliament did not finalise the matter – but adopted its report and passed it to the next parliament.
Earlier the EFF warned that if the governing ANC doesn’t expropriate land without compensation, they risk a revolt.
The President says expropriation is an important land acquisition strategy.
“Among the important tasks of this new parliament is to finalise the constitutional amendments to clearly indicate how expropriation of land without compensation will be put into effect also the Expropriation Bill.”
Pres Ramaphosa on the Land Reform agenda pic.twitter.com/v8fEc5wdnu
— SABC News Online (@SABCNewsOnline) June 26, 2019
Watch below for more on SONA Debate:
Unpack President Ramaphosa’s response to SONA
Angelo Fick, Director of Research from the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute and Lebohang Pheko, Senior Research Fellow & Political economist at the Think Tank Trade Collective unpack President Ramaphosa’s response to his State of the Nation address.
