The 2025 State of the Nation Address (Sona) is meant to be a crucial moment for President Cyril Ramaphosa to rebuild trust in democracy, improve the state’s effectiveness, and strengthen South Africa’s position as a regional leader
While he highlighted the Government’s commitment to addressing key issues such as unemployment, corruption, and energy security—challenges persist, including high youth unemployment, healthcare failures, and infrastructure delays—Ramaphosa’s address was ambitious and did not shy away from making overpromises, raising feasibility concerns about the feasibility of implementation.
Several challenges persist in South Africa that require practical solutions. Ramaphosa said his government should achieve 3% economic growth, fix load shedding, and create jobs to resolve these. However, given structural challenges, this may be overly optimistic.
R940 billion investment plan: Where will the money come from?
Adding some cherry on top, the president promised a R100 billion infrastructure financing target and R940 billion investment plan to rely heavily on private sector participation, which may face delays or resistance because the government has no funds to support such projects.
With the US targeting South Africa and further potential sanctions, one wonders how this will be financed, given that the promised one million RDP houses in Alexander and the Smart City have not materialised.
For those sceptical about his yearly promises, the President proposed a National Dialogue to chart a new pathway. However, even so, he failed to explain how this sincerely decided nation he presides over would be structured or what specific outcomes are expected. Hey, maybe the Sona debate will help clarify.
Past Revamped Promises
In a stark reminder of how political leaders are aware of what needs to be done even if they know they solve the problem, Ramaphosa repeated his past promises, including many initiatives, such as SOE reforms, energy transition, and crime reduction, just as discussed in previous Sonas, the repetition of these issues has justifiably led to scepticism about the government's ability to deliver.
Corruption: R10 billion recovered, but systemic corruption continues
While the speech mentions progress in combating corruption, including the recovery of R10 billion by the Special Investigations Unit and the establishment of a digital forensics lab, it lacks a comprehensive plan to address systemic corruption, particularly at lower levels of government structures where some municipalities continue diverting service delivery funds for politicians and municipal officials’ gain.
Social Grants and Poverty: No sustainable solution
Since the dawn of democracy, social grants have improved many people’s lives, and Ramaphosa did not miss a chance in his speech to acknowledge their importance. However, South Africans need real jobs, not handouts. His address did not focus on transitioning from temporary relief to sustainable solutions for poverty alleviation.
In what sounded like a bold move in response to the US, Israel, and Rwanda, Ramaphosa stated that “South Africa won’t be bullied,” adding that the country would always advocate for peace. However, he did not state his plans on how he intends to stand toe to toe with these countries whose military equipment remains some of the most modern and advanced.
Ramaphosa's 2025 SONA was a well-crafted speech that balances emotional appeal with substantive policy proposals. However, the speech's weaknesses lie in its vagueness, overreliance on past promises, and the ambitious nature of some proposals, which may raise concerns about feasibility and implementation.