Much like Zuma's SONA in 2014, President Ramaphosa tries to tell a "good story", while country collapses

Image: courtesy of FF Plus

President Cyril Ramaphosa borrowed a page from former President Jacob Zuma’s 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA) tonight by boasting about the country's "good story". 

President Ramaphosa delivered his speech in his capacity as President of South Africa, but he remains President of the ANC. And wherever his party governs – in councils, provinces and metros – the reality tells a “bad story”.

For instance, the fact that parts of Johannesburg – also called the richest city in Africa – currently do not have water. After years of government intervention in failed municipalities brought about no improvement, the President’s remarks on this matter lack conviction.

It merely demonstrates how out of touch Ramaphosa is with reality. The truth is that South Africa’s economy and society are in deep crisis.

Boasting about isolated matters – such as credit ratings, debt reduction, a short-lived improvement in power supply and the strength of the rand – is misleading and denying reality.

South Africa's economy has ground to a halt a long time ago. According to the IMF and local analysts, GDP growth in 2025 was only 1,3%, with 1,4% projected for this year.

This is far below the 3–5% needed to combat unemployment, and is largely attributable to harmful policies such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which drives away investors and undermines job creation.

Unemployment has climbed to record-high levels, with an official figure of 31,9% in the third quarter of 2025, which is expected to rise to 32% in 2026. Youth unemployment stands at 44%, leaving millions of young people without hope for a better future.

This crisis is exacerbated by an unbridled influx of illegal immigrants across the country's porous borders. It is estimated that there are currently two to four million undocumented immigrants in the country, placing enormous pressure on resources, the economy and municipalities.

More and more municipalities are collapsing, with more than 250 facing serious debt problems. Eskom debt already exceeds R100 billion; service delivery is grinding to a halt while residents suffer the consequences of failing infrastructure and corruption.

On international level, South Africa's relations with the United States reached an all-time low. The Trump administration boycotted the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg and did not invite South Africa to the 2026 Summit.

The United States Congress is reviewing trade ties between the two countries, with possible sanctions looming due to South Africa’s alliances with China, Russia and Iran.

At the same time, South Africa is openly hostile towards Israel, one of America’s largest allies. Israel’s former chargé d’affaires to South Africa, Mr Ariel Seidman, was recently declared persona non grata and had to leave the country within 72 hours amid already strained relations between the two countries.

The widespread incidence of foot-and-mouth disease illustrates government's utter ineptitude – it failed to contain the initial outbreak, and the epidemic has now spread to eight provinces and developed into one of the biggest agricultural crises in the country’s history.

The President’s remarks in this regard essentially created more uncertainty about the availability of vaccines than before. He merely stuck to the Department of Agriculture's plan – which has failed miserably so far.

The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) would have liked to hear that South Africa will reposition itself in a rapidly changing geopolitical world, take urgent, tangible steps against foot-and-mouth disease, intervene to eradicate corruption from the police force and is willing to move away from Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).

None of these expectations were met, though. The President's evocation of struggle symbolism to open his speech served as the prelude to yet another attempt to gloss over the ANC’s failures of the last 32 years.