As South Africa gears up for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2024, anticipation swirls around the issues President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to tackle amidst the nation’s complex socio-economic landscape.
Watch live: President Ramaphosa delivers SONA 2024 address
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The SONA 2024 live feed is expected to kick off at 18:00. Tune into the proceedings below.
This year’s SONA, set against the backdrop of commemorating 30 years of democracy, stands as a critical juncture for the nation, highlighting its journey since 1994 and the strides made towards fostering a democratic society.
The event, described as “unique” by presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, promises a reflection on the past three decades and the achievements of the sixth administration over its tenure.
Former Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa, called attention to the significance of this year’s address, suggesting that it will not only celebrate the 30th anniversary of democracy but also confront pressing issues such as service delivery, the energy crisis, and unemployment.
The SONA is expected to provide a comprehensive overview of South Africa’s current state, addressing a wide array of political, economic, and social matters within both domestic and global contexts.
Key issues President Ramaphosa is expected to address
National Health Insurance Bill:
The National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill aims to overhaul South Africa’s healthcare system by ensuring all citizens have access to essential healthcare services, regardless of their financial status.
It proposes a unified system that pools funds to enable both public and private healthcare providers to offer a standardised set of services to all South Africans.
The bill focuses on providing comprehensive personal health services at all levels, including primary, secondary, and tertiary care.
Although the jury is still out on whether the Bill will be fully passed into law, South African medical professionals have made a stark announcement: they prefer shutting down their practices rather than operating under the government’s proposed NHI Bill.
Alas, President Ramaphosa is expected to reaffirm the government’s commitment to the NHI, emphasising its role in achieving universal health coverage and reducing inequality in healthcare access.
The approach might include highlighting progress in legislative processes, funding strategies, and plans to improve health infrastructure and services under the NHI framework.
Loadshedding
Loadshedding is a practice of intentionally reducing electricity supply to avoid overwhelming the grid, a symptom of South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis.
The country has faced record levels of loadshedding due to the inability of the state power utility, Eskom, to meet demand, causing significant disruptions to businesses and households.
South Africa faced about 407 746 minutes of blackouts, which is equivalent to 83% of the amount of time loadshedding has been active in 2023, the highest it’s been since the system was implemented in 2008.
By May 2023, the country had already accumulated almost 35 days of blackout time.
In terms of energy shed, there was an estimated 16,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) lost in 2023, which is a significant increase from the 8,000 GWh in 2022 and eight times more than the 2,000 GWh in 2021.
The economic implications of such extensive loadshedding are considerable. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) estimates the daily economic cost of Stage 6 loadshedding at nearly R1 billion, highlighting the severe impact on both the economy and the day-to-day life of citizens.
Here’s a breakdown of the total days South Africans have spent in loadshedding, per Stage:
- Stage 1 – 25 days
- Stage 2 – 36 days
- Stage 3 – 74 days
- Stage 4 – 80 days
- Stage 5 – 22 days
- Stage 6 – 45 days
In April 2023, Eskom implemented Stage 8 loadshedding without prior notice. Despite vehement denials from the electricity ministry, energy availability data from the week of 10 April 2023 showed that, in fact, Eskom shed 7 072MW from the grid, putting it above the Stage 8 threshold of between 7 001MW to 8 000MW.
The President is anticipated to address the energy crisis by outlining short and long-term measures to enhance electricity supply and reduce dependency on Eskom.
This may include accelerating renewable energy projects, improving Eskom’s operational efficiency, and possibly introducing reforms to attract private sector investment in the energy sector.
Unemployment
Unemployment in South Africa reflects the percentage of the labour force that is jobless but seeking employment.
South Africa’s unemployment rate is one of the highest globally, with a significant increase to 31.9% in the first quarter of 2023. The situation is particularly dire among the youth, with a youth (ages 15 – 24) unemployment rate of 61%.
In addressing unemployment, Ramaphosa is likely to emphasise government initiatives aimed at job creation, including support for small businesses, skills development programs, and infrastructure investment.
He may also discuss policies to stimulate economic growth and attract foreign investment as critical components of reducing unemployment.
Economic Reforms
Economic reforms refer to planned changes in economic policies and regulations intended to improve South Africa’s economic performance.
The South African economy has been under pressure, with real GDP growth expected to be around 1% in 2024. Challenges include supply-side constraints, particularly in the electricity and logistics sectors.
The President is likely to highlight the government’s commitment to implementing economic reforms to address these challenges.
Focus areas may include accelerating structural reforms, improving public sector efficiency, and enhancing the business environment to support investment and economic diversification.
Crime
Crime in South Africa covers a broad spectrum of unlawful activities, including violent crimes, property crimes, and crimes against women and children, significantly impacting the country’s security and societal well-being.
Recent crime statistics showed a notable decrease in murder rates, with 6 945 people murdered.
This period also saw reductions in sexual offences, TRIO crimes (carjacking, robbery at residential premises, and robbery at non-residential premises), contact-related crimes, property-related crimes, and other serious crimes.
Operation Shanela, a national policing initiative, has been instrumental in these decreases, leading to over 226 000 arrests, including high-profile criminals.
Despite overall reductions, the country still faces challenges, particularly with certain types of robberies increasing.
In addressing crime during his SONA 2024 speech, President Ramaphosa is likely to call to attention the government’s ongoing efforts and successes in crime prevention, particularly highlighting the positive impacts of initiatives like Operation Shanela.
He may also outline further strategies to empower and equip police stations, enhance high-visibility patrols, and improve community safety measures.
With a specific focus on the reductions in murder and sexual offences, Ramaphosa is expected to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to tackling the root causes of crime, including gun control and addressing violence against women and children, while ensuring the SAPS remains vigilant and responsive to evolving crime patterns.