SONA 2025 Overview: More money, more problems, more promises

President Cyril Ramaphosa at SONA2025. Image credit: GCIS

President Cyril Ramaphosa began his State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) by honouring 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The president paid tribute to each soldier by name, saying they died not for power or resources, but to silence the guns on the African continent. He called them heroes who gave their lives for peace.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND SA’S RESPONSE

Ramaphosa used SONA2025 to speak about the challenges facing the world today, including climate change, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical tensions. He said South Africa must navigate these challenges with resilience and unity.

The president emphasised that South Africa stands for peace, justice, equality, and solidarity. He also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to equal rights for women, persons with disabilities, and the LGBTQI+ community.

SONA 2025: GNU AND MEDIUM-TERM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SONA 2025 also saw the president speak on the formation of a Government of National Unity. He also introduced the Medium-Term Development Plan, which he said would focus on three key priorities: inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, and building a capable and ethical state. Ramaphosa said the plan will guide the country’s development over the next five years.

STATE AND PUBLIC SERVICE: GRADUATE RECRUITMENT SCHEME

Ramaphosa highlighted the need for a capable and professional public service at SONA2025.

He announced a graduate recruitment scheme to attract top talent into government.

The president also addressed challenges in municipalities, saying many lack the skills and resources to deliver basic services like water and electricity. He promised to establish professionally managed utilities to improve service delivery.

He stated that the government will undertake extensive consultations to develop an updated White Paper on Local Government.

The aim of this White Paper is to outline a modern and fit-for-purpose local government system that can better meet the needs of South Africans.

He did not, however, acknowledge the issues of corruption, mismanagement and squandering of state funds at municipal level. He also didn’t outline measures that would be put in place to prevent this in future.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: MTENTU BRIDGE AND POLIHALI DAM

The president announced a massive infrastructure investment plan, with the government set to spend R940 billion over the next three years. Key projects include the Mtentu Bridge, which will be the tallest bridge in Africa, and the Polihali Dam, which will supply water to several provinces.

Ramaphosa also spoke about economic reforms, including efforts to reduce load shedding and improve the performance of state-owned companies like Eskom and Transnet.

R247 BILLION PLEDGED FOR JUST ENERGY TRANSITION

Ramaphosa said the country had gone 300 days without load shedding since March 2024.

The president was wise to admit though there were still risks and SA’s energy supply was not yet entirely stable.

South Africa is, however, making progress in its transition to renewable energy, with over $13 billion (R247 billion)pledged by the international community. The president said the country is committed to reducing carbon emissions while ensuring the transition is affordable.

He also highlighted the importance of private sector investment in renewable energy projects.

WATER CRISIS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: NEW AGENCY TO BE ESTABLISHED

Ramaphosa went to great lengths to acknowledge the water crisis faced by many parts of the country.

He announced that R23 billion has been secured for seven major water infrastructure projects. The President also revealed plans to establish a National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency to unlock further investment in water projects.

R20 BILLION TO SUPPORT BLACK-OWNED AND SMALL BUSINESSES

The president announced a R20 billion Transformation Fund to support black-owned and small businesses over the next five years. He also promised to fast-track regulations to ensure women, youth, and persons with disabilities have fair access to government contracts. Ramaphosa said these measures are part of efforts to make the economy more inclusive.

MATRIC RESULTS

The president celebrated the 2024 matric results, which saw an 87% pass rate, the highest in South Africa’s history. He also announced plans to expand access to early childhood development and improve literacy and numeracy in schools.

HEALTH CARE AND NHI

Ramaphosa said the government is making progress in preparing for the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. He did not provide much detail into this reported progress on the plans for the implementation of the scheme. He left much about the NHI unsaid.

He did, however, announce plans to build and revitalise hospitals and clinics across country.

PLANS TO BUILD LOW-COST HOUSING CLOSER TO CITIES

The president announced a new approach to housing, with a focus on building homes closer to city centres and work opportunities. He said the government will release underutilised state properties for affordable housing and provide 300,000 serviced stands for housing development.

Ramaphosa also promised to clear the backlog of title deeds for subsidised housing.

CRIME AND SAFETY: PLANS TO USE AI TO FIGHT CRIME

Ramaphosa said the police are working hard to dismantle organised crime syndicates and reduce violent crime.

This of course was met with scepticism from his audience present at the SONA2025.

He announced plans to expand the Detective Service by 4,000 personnel and use technology like AI to fight crime.

The president also highlighted efforts to support victims of gender-based violence, with 65 Thuthuzela Care Centres and 44 GBV shelters now operational.

ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS

The president said the government is making progress in fighting corruption. He announced that over R10 billion has been recovered in state capture-related cases.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

Ramaphosa spoke about South Africa’s role in global affairs, including its presidency of the G20. He said the country is committed to promoting peace, development, and economic integration in Africa. The President also reaffirmed South Africa’s support for Palestine and its efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

DONALD TRUMP AND ELON MUSK

While the president did not mention Donald Trump or Elon Musk by name, he did take a jab at recent issues, saying that South Africa would not be bullied. What he did address head-on though was, the issue of the withdrawing of US aid, specifically in the context of HIV and TB funding. The President expressed concern about the potential impact of the U.S. government’s decision to suspend some of its funding for HIV and TB programmes in African countries for 90 days.

He noted that this funding accounts for about 17% of South Africa’s HIV spend.

Ramaphosa assured the nation that the government has been able to provide funding from its own budget to continue these essential programmes.

He mentioned that the government is looking at various interventions to address the immediate needs and ensure the continuity of these critical services.