President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Thursday, 6 February 2025 at 7pm. The theme for the 2025 SoNA is a “A nation that works, for all.”
Ramaphosa said the country is mourning the tragic and devastating loss of 14 South African soldiers who were part of a mission to bring peace to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Interesting facts from SONA
*In the last week, a Medium-Term Development Plan, was finalized, which is a clear and ambitious programme for the next five years, with a focus on inclusive growth and job creation, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living and to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.
*Efforts to redevelop a White Paper on Local Government, is underway, to outline a modern and fit-for-purpose local government system.
The funding model for municipalities is also under review.
*Government to invest in digital public infrastructure to give South Africans access to services anytime, anywhere, through a relaunched gov.za platform.
*Government talking to investors to unlock R 100 billion in infrastructure financing.
A project preparation bid window was launched to fast-track investment readiness.
Government will spend more than R940 billion on infrastructure over the next three years.
This includes R375 billion in spending by state owned companies.
This includes projects in water and sanitation, student accommodation, transport, health and energy.
*The Polihlali Dam will feed 490 million cubic metres of water a year from the Lesotho Highlands into the Vaal River System, securing water supply to several provinces for years to come.
*Eskom, Transnet and other state-owned enterprises are being repositioned, through the SOE Reform Unit, to provide world-class infrastructure while enabling competition in operations.
*Multiple electricity generation entities expected to emerge and compete as from this year.
*Private sector investment to be mobilized in the transmission network to connect more renewable energy to the grid.
Over 13 billion US dollars have been pledged by the international community and significant private capital is being invested locally.
*A Network Statement was released in December 2024 which, for the first time, will enable private rail operators to access the freight rail system.
*To date, the Infrastructure Fund has secured R23 billion for seven large water infrastructure projects.
Infrastructure projects like Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the uMkhomazi Dam, unlocked, and preparation for the construction of the Ntabelanga Dam on the uMzimvubu River to supply additional water for domestic use and for irrigation in the Eastern Cape.
Within the next year, the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency, to unlock much greater investment in water projects.
*About 90% of the backlog cleared of more than 300,000 visa applications.
*A transformation fund worth R20 billion a year, will be established over the next five years, to fund black-owned and small business enterprises.
*The National Skills Fund Disabilities Programme will empower over 10,000 persons with disabilities through tailored training programmes, stipends and specialised tools.
*The unemployment stimulus, created 2,2 million work and livelihoods opportunities, the social unemployment fund, created 80,000 jobs, 12,000 entrepreneurial activities.
*SA working at the the African Continental Free Trade Area.
*A launch of a campaign to target another 1.1 million people who are not on HIV treatment.
*About 300,000 serviced stands availed to qualifying beneficiaries to enable housing development in well-planned, connected communities along key development corridors.