Youth unemployment, SA-US spat top SONA debate

Recycling old promises, while majority of South Africa’s youth is stuck in poverty, uMkhonto Wesizwe Party Member of Parliament, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, told the President as lawmakers debated his State of the Nation Address (SONA) for a second day today.

He described the SONA as a failed state of the nothingness address, saying President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration have failed to tackle issues that plague the country.

Ndlela says South Africans deserve results over empty promises.

Job creation, unemployment was the theme for some MPs in the debate, calling for the President to proritise the youth and future of the country.

EFF MP, Omphile Maotwe, said the Government of National Unity (GNU) has no plan to resolve the unemployment headache.

She says the dreams of young people are being shuttered by the government failing them.

Maotwe also lamented budgets cuts in the education sector.

 

ACDP leader, Kenneth Meshoe, called on the government to work to bring down the country’s 32.10% jobless rate.

He says there are too many unemployed doctors who are desperate to join the healthcare sector, which is facing many challenges, including a severe shortage of staff.

Build One South Africa, Mmusi Maimane, joined other MPs’ calls for South Africans to unite in the face of threats by US President, Donald Trump, over some of the country’s policies.

Trump recently issued an executive order against South Africa, cutting foreign aid in the process over, what he says, are violation of the rights of a certain class of people.

Maimane backed President Ramaphosa’s stance that SA will not be bullied.

Another contentious policy came to the fore during the debate, with Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, reiterating that the National Health Insurance (NHI) is about how money is distributed to the population.

He says it’s not a system people implement because they are rich, but one that is meant to cover everybody, regardless of income.

MPs debated on various other issues, including service delivery and the controversial e-toll system.

Ramaphosa is scheduled to respond to their insights tomorrow.

South Africans have meanwhile also weighed in on the debate.

These people in Parliament Sona debate don’t respect South Africans. Jimmy Manyi is the worst debater of all time

— mardaiza (@mardaiza) February 12, 2025

Sona debate 😂😂😂😂😂

— Arthitar (@ArthitarRsa) February 12, 2025

SONA Debate ❌

Circus ✅

— IKUMKANYAKWANTU (@TheeOnlyMenace) February 12, 2025

SONA Debate ? Chaos 😂 pic.twitter.com/3ryCDOZU8E

— I’m Dat Nigg* (@blades_sss) February 12, 2025

You like Malema’s minions or not but @SihleLonzi ‘s submission for the SONA debate was 👌

— Lord Russ. (@YesThatRuss) February 12, 2025

Anyone listening to the SONA debate would realise that the DA continues to fight race based policies and fight for the protection of property rights

— I_HATE_TROLLS (@IHATETROLLS4) February 12, 2025

Waste of time debating SONA, it was a blast of hot smelly air! With Ramapoesa, you must debate what he does because he speaks sh1t and does the opposite! Ramapoesa’s real agenda is South African Reset 2030, when he hands control to the Gates Globalists and South Africa becomes…

— Afro-Saxon (@rayleon123) February 12, 2025

The debate on #Sona is the most boring and monotonous event, offering little solutions. It is nothing but a platform to attack Donald Trump and the DA. How predictable.
Yesterday, we had the ‘coffee shop,’ ‘minister’ screaming at the top of her lungs like a drunk, possessed…

— Megan S. (@SimplyMegszcpt) February 12, 2025