In his 21-page State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa focused on enhancing the lives of South Africans. Five crucial initiatives were outlined as the means to bring about tangible change.
The President’s address centered around addressing the pressing challenges faced by the people of South Africa – the power shortage crisis, tackling joblessness, alleviating poverty and controlling the inflationary trend, as well as fighting crime and corruption.
Addressing the load-shedding crisis: The President declared a state of disaster and appointed a minister of electricity in the presidency to oversee the response to the crisis. The Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill will also be passed to transform the energy sector and create a competitive electricity market.
Tackling unemployment: The Social Employment Fund and the National Youth Service will create job opportunities for 50,000 and 36,000 people, respectively.
Mitigating the rising cost of living: Social grants will be increased, targeted basic income support will be developed, and the National Treasury is considering measures to address the impact of load shedding on food prices.
Combating crime and corruption: The government will partner with the private sector to support the 10111 crime helpline, increase funding for law enforcement agencies, and strengthen protections for whistle-blowers. Integrity assessments will also become a requirement for public service recruitment.
Improving the overall quality of life: The President’s State of the Nation Address outlined several initiatives aimed at addressing the key challenges faced by South Africans, including the load-shedding crisis, unemployment, rising cost of living, crime, and corruption.