Mixed reactions trail Ramaphosa’s #SONA2025

At the back of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the DA, MK Party and EFF have expressed differing views over whether the speech inspired confidence. 

The former opposition, current opposition and newest political front-runners shared their reactions following the President’s utterances. 

Ramaphosa urged South Africans to unite in shaping a common vision for the country’s next 30 years through the National Dialogue, emphasising the need for collective growth and inclusivity.

He further committed over the R940 billion government has injected to infrastructure projects over the next five years, among other commitments. 

MK Party Deputy President, Dr John Hlophe, says the President failed to hit the mark with his address.

He slammed it for failing to deliver feedback on the previous promises made to South Africans. 

“The starting point should have been the President going back to the promises that he made during SONA last year. He identified key areas which were inequality, land, and housing. I was expecting feedback… but of course, he can’t do that,” Hlophe said.

Sharing this sentiment, EFF leader, Julius Malema, dismissed Ramaphosa’s SONA as “nothing but waffle and empty words.” 

“There is no plan. The President doesn’t account for what he said before this State of the Nation Address. The previous one was ‘Tshwanelo,’ the other one was ‘Thuma Mina,'” Malema said in Cape Town. 

Meanwhile, the DA, who were the official opposition and now govern together with the ANC for the very first time, said the President’s diagnosis was perfect and the focus was absolutely right. 

DA leader, John Steenhuisen, emphasised that the President’s speech reflected a large part of what his party submitted for Thursday’s SONA.

 “As Ministers now, it’s going to be up to us to unpack how we’re going to address these issues. Giving deadlines and making sure we deliver these projects on time and on budget,” he added.

Both the ANC and DA have expressed a renewed commitment to ensure that the Government of National Unity (GNU) works. 

The GNU partners have been at loggerheads over contentious legislation, including the newly signed Bela and Land Expropriation Acts, among others.

ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, has acknowledged that while differences will arise within the GNU, they can be resolved through a shared intent to settle them. 

He emphasised that the ANC would remain the largest party, even if some individuals choose to leave. 

“Every time there is an issue, we don’t have to think that the GNU is threatened. It might happen that in the process, people walk away. Will it collapse? No, it won’t; the ANC will still remain the largest party,” he said.

Steenhuisen reiterated that concessions are going to have to be made, as neither party is going to get what they want all the time.

 “No party has got 51%, the ANC can’t get everything they want. But the DA too can’t get everything we want. But we should all be able to get something of what we want. Managing differences in the coalition are going to be essential.”