President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his 2023 state-of-the-nation address (SONA) at the Cape Town City Hall in Cape Town on February 9, 2023.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected return to the National Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday for the debate on his State of the Nation Address (Sona).
While Ramaphosa’s Sona was marred by chaos and drama when members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by Julius Malema stormed the stage, his speech has left many wondering if indeed Government has a plan to solve the country’s problems and chief among those being the load shedding crisis.
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Addressing the media on Sunday, spokesperson for President Vincent Magwenya said the debate will be a platform for all political parties to respond to the Sona in which the President outlined government’s vision for ensuring that 2023 is a better year than 2022.
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“The President will then reply to the debate on Thursday and underscore key contributions by Members of Parliament and elaborate on matters arising from his Address last Thursday,” said Magwenya.
The President is also expected to participate in the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) from 17-19 February in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“Africa’s political leadership will convene under the economically focused theme, ‘Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement’ in a year which marks the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the continuing 20th anniversary of the creation of the African Union in 2002 as successor to the OAU.
“The President will also chair the AU Peace and Security Summit – on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”
According to Magwenya, the President also indicated that our focus will be on collaboration on sustainable development, the just energy transition, industrialization and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“South Africa, together with our neighbours in the Southern African Customs Union, will soon finalise our industrial offer on the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Once fully operationalised, the Continental Free Trade will provide an unprecedented opportunity to deepen African economic integration, grow national economies, and open up new frontiers and markets for South African companies.”
Ramaphosa will on February 21, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of South Africa’s armed forces, officiate Armed Forces Day in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.
“This is an occasion on which we honor men and women who have lost their lives in the course of their patriotic duty in the country or on international missions.
“Furthermore, Armed Forces Day is an occasion that fuels the imagination of young South Africans in terms of choosing career paths and exercising their passion and abilities,” Magwenya said.
Ramaphosa is also expected to attend the Budget Speech to be delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on February 22.
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“This is an important engagement on our political calendar that underscores and allocates the required resources to the plans set out in the Sona.”
On February 23, Ramaphosa will officiate the annual Opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders (NHTL).
The NHTL is a body composed of traditional leaders who are delegates from the Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders of South Africa, representing the Provincial Houses at national level.
The mandate of the House is to among others, promote the role of traditional leadership within the constitutional dispensation, promote nation-building peace, stability and cohesiveness of communities.
“The House also considers Parliamentary Bills referred to it by the Secretary and participates in intergovernmental structures and advises the national government and make recommendations on any matter that government may require,” said Magwenya.
Ramaphosa will on February 28 host a State visit to Pretoria by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of of Uganda.
According to Magwenya, Ramaphosa will host Museveni with the aim of strengthening political, economic and cultural relations between South Africa and the Republic of Uganda.
“South Africa and Uganda enjoy longstanding historical relations dating back to the struggle against apartheid. Uganda hosted and trained South African anti-apartheid activists and freedom fighters in the late 1980s. Political and economic relations between South Africa and Uganda have been improving since 1994.”
The South Africa-Uganda Joint Commission also seeks to strengthen and deepen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, consolidate political, economic and social cooperation, and oversee the implementation of the signed agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.
The commission is also mandated to explore possible new areas of economic, trade and investment cooperation, including the opportunities for bilateral commercial cooperation, joint ventures and possible collaborative projects presented by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
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