Wash, rinse, repeat – Cyril responds to Sona debate
Although South Africa has made progress in the past 30 years, there are still urgent challenges to deal with, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Challenges included unemployment, crime, poverty and service delivery problems in municipalities.
“Despite everything we have achieved, many South Africans – young and old – are concerned about the state of affairs in our nation, and rightly so,” he said, responding to the debate on his State of the Nation Address.
South Africans faced economic challenges and social challenges which left them wondering about the future.
“Even people with jobs wonder if they will be able to provide for their families as the cost of living increases. Yes, load shedding has had a devastating effect on our lives and yes, corruption as it has unfolded over a number of years has also had a negative impact.”
He admitted there were problems over the years in the delivery of services and ensuring a bright future for all South Africans.
“As we reflect on the journey we have travelled, we must acknowledge the severe challenges we still face,” he said.
“I have taken [note] to speak about our weaknesses. I have taken care to speak about our shortcomings, our failings, but I have also taken care to say we must work together to correct what is broken.”
Ramaphosa said there had been an increase in international tourists, a positive sign.
“We are [a] well-adorned country when it comes to tourist attraction places.”
Ramaphosa said the country had managed to generate billions of dollars through investor conferences.
“Over the past five years, we have worked to increase investment in our economy because it is through investment that we can create opportunities for employment,” he said.
South Africa should be proud of businesses born after 1994 and had become successful, even internationally.
Municipalities and other arms of government with infrastructure grants should spend the money for the betterment of the communities.
He said the government had invested in the construction of new trains, which would soon be exported and sold to other countries.
“There are trains being built in Ekurhuleni,” he said. “I went to the factory to see how they build them and they are being build by women – and they are being rolled out throughout the country.”
Ramaphosa said government had stepped in to create jobs when there was a slowdown in job creation by the private sector.
“We see young people making full use of the opportunities that have been provided by the Presidential Employment Stimulus and other public employment programmes,” he said.
He said the country was fixing its electricity problems, which had been a challenge for many years.
The blame game would not help South Africa’s power crisis.
But he called on the private sector and government to work together to solve problems affecting ordinary South Africans.
Over the past five years, government had strengthened law enforcement agencies and made a commitment to ensure the upholding of the rule of law.