Ahead of his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, ANC president and head of state Cyril Ramophosa is under increasing political pressure to accelerate structural reforms in the economy and respond to rising food costs.
In his sixth year as president, Cyril Ramaphosa has already faced criticism from the independent research tank Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE).
The organization, which focuses on policy research and evidence-based solutions for the country’s socio-economic and political concerns, stated in a stinging attack that it no longer believes Ramaphosa is the best candidate for the position.
“President Ramaphosa presented himself as a reformer, and many individuals desperately wanted to believe this. They were prepared to divorce the man from the party in which he has been a leader and a member for more than three decades, according to Ann Bernstein, executive director of the Center for Democracy and the Environment, who added that it was up to the citizens to liberate themselves.
They believed that, at the height of the state capture, the head of the ANC deployment committee would do things differently and discard long-held beliefs and practices.
Bernstein noted that Ramaphosa’s indecision and lack of urgency have exacerbated the nation’s situation.
Ramaphosa is anticipated to propose interventions about the rolling blackouts, high food costs, and debilitating unemployment, especially among the youth.
Ramaphosa stated at last year’s Sona that his government was bridging the energy supply gap to eliminate loadshedding.
“The power issue is one of the most significant risks to economic and social progress. Consequently, a number of new energy producing projects will come online during the next few years. Ramaphosa stated at the time that Eskom had established a separate transmission subsidiary and was on schedule to complete its unbundling by December 2022.
According to Ramaphosa, the strategy was supplemented by revisions to the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006, which were authorized for discussion by the cabinet.
In the meantime, the National Freedom Party has signaled its intention to join the EFF in preventing the president from addressing the people.
The parties think that Ramaphosa’s alleged involvement in the Phala Phala stealing incident renders him an illegitimate president.
»Ramaphosa is under increasing pressure ahead of his speech«