Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
9 February 2024 | 16:00 CAT
5 min read

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his 8th State of the Nation Address last night in a notably peaceful environment, with no interruptions. Experts attribute this tranquillity to the absence of the EFF, as the Red Berets announced their boycott following a court’s dismissal of an urgent application allowing EFF leader Julius Malema and five others to attend the occasion.

Prof. Bhekithemba Mngomezulu speaking to Radio Islam, said the content of the President’s speech didn’t come as a surprise. He said it was expected that he would reminisce about the successes of past administrations, including Nelson Mandela’s era, to create the impression of accomplishment during his tenure. However, amidst this rhetoric, it’s evident that significant challenges have persisted during his terms in office.

Mngomezulu believes the bulk of the President’s address should have focused on his administration – what has succeeded, what hasn’t, and outlining both the problems and potential solutions.

“The escalation to stage 4 load shedding today, despite the President’s promise that an end to load shedding is in sight, underscores the ongoing challenges. While his speech touched on various issues, structurally, I found it to be problematic. It would have been more appropriate for the President to begin with his reflection on the past 30 years, because it is an election year,” he said.

Mngomezulu said while the President was hinting at the upcoming election year, he confidently stated that the ANC will prevail, using various languages to resonate with diverse audiences.

“But this speech is not about the ANC, it is about the state of the country in all areas that affect you and I. but the majority of the speech, was about projecting the organisation as a party that has done well,” he added.

President Ramaphosa stated our basic education outcomes are steadily improving across a range of measures.

Mngomezulu highlighted that the President failed to tackle critical issues affecting the populace, such as the state of education and the funding of tertiary students. For instance, the current state of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is chaotic. The rationale behind centralizing NSFAS remains unclear.

The President expressed optimism that an end to load shedding is finally within reach. “We have upheld our promises to introduce significant new power through private investment into the grid, which has already started to alleviate load shedding,” Ramaphosa said.

“Load-shedding is a case in point, he appointed the wrong minister, and you cannot appoint a civil engineer to deal with load-shedding when there are electrical engineers. We didn’t need a minister to start with. You had Gwede Mantashe and Pravin Gordhan, what are they doing?” Mngomezulu asked.

President Ramaphosa admitted that the unemployment rate remains at its highest level ever. “Our economy has expanded significantly, growing threefold over the past three decades, and the number of employed South Africans has doubled from 8 million in 1994 to over 16.7 million. Despite an upward trend in job creation over the past two years, with more people employed than before the pandemic, the persistently high unemployment rate remains a pressing challenge,” he added.

Mngomezulu said despite admitting that the unemployment rate has gone up, which is the reality, the President kept on asserting that he has done everything possible to create jobs, especially for the youth. “He has come up with mechanisms to address these issues, but you and I both know that the unemployment rate is increasing each and every day, with no end in sight,” he said.

The Address highlighted progress in addressing key constraints on economic growth, such as stabilizing the energy supply and improving logistics systems. The President also noted that state capture is a thing of the past and emphasized increased protection for whistle-blowers.

“Another critical issue concerns the economy because without growth, job creation becomes challenging. The President addressed industrialisation, but it’s difficult to achieve without reliable electricity. The current electricity shortages risk closure of existing businesses and deter potential investors. His lengthy speech could have been more concise, focusing on key issues and solutions,” Mngomezulu criticised.

Despite the President’s assertion that efforts have been made to revitalise the economy and rebuild public institutions after the era of state capture, the situation hasn’t improved. South Africa’s Corruption Perceptions Index score has actually declined, marking its lowest point yet, dropping from 43 to 41.

“We have had to revitalise our economy after more than a decade of poor economic performance. We have had to rebuild our public institutions after the era of state capture,” said Ramaphosa.

The President pledged to further enhance local government, professionalize the public service, and ensure accountability among public officials for their actions.

Mngomezulu pointed out, the President omitted any mention of the government’s legislative actions regarding the Phala Phala matter. He said this lack of accountability draws parallels with past incidents, such as the failure to hold former President Jacob Zuma accountable for the Nkandla issue. “Instead of allowing the president to resign, Parliament opted to protect him, indicating a pattern of avoiding accountability. These issues were notably absent from the President’s address, potentially reflecting negatively on the government’s actions,” he added.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Yusuf Moosagie and Political Analyst, Prof. Bhekithemba Mngomezulu, here.