Sona 2023: Ramaphosa’s promises only useful if the budget can fund it – Cosatu

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Of the Nation Address (Sona), but stated that all the solutions would be lucrative only if this year’s budget funds them.

During his address on his address on Thursday, 9 February, Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster to respond to South Africa’s electricity crisis. 

Progess

Cosatu said on Friday that while it noted the many commitments made to reduce load shedding, the economy cannot grow if it is not eliminated.

“We expect to see real progress in the next six months, we do not have the luxury of 24 months. The state of disaster should be utilised to provide the power utility with all the necessary support.

“The February Budget Speech needs to finalise the details of reducing the Eskom debt by 50% and also empower the government to deal with the coal cartels that are hobbling the power utility with their corrupt tendencies,” it said.

‘No electricity, no economy’

Cosatu also emphasised that everything is dependent on the success of the plan to fix load shedding because “with no electricity, there is no economy and with no economy there will be no jobs and public services”.

The federation also said it expected the same commitments pertaining to the protection and rebuilding of the country’s passenger and freight railway network. It added that a functioning rail network is key to growing the mining, manufacturing and agricultural sectors and to ensuring workers get to work on time.

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R2 trillion

Cosatu also said that it welcomed the commitment to mobilise R2 trillion to stimulate the economy but such commitments by both the public and private sectors need to be monitored.

“We want assurance that these commitments include the creation of jobs and decent work.  The banking, financial, mining, retail, manufacturing and hospitality sectors need to play their part in creating jobs and reducing the apartheid wage gap.”

Social grant

Furthermore, Cosatu said it was pleased that the president has “endorsed its call” to extend and increase the SRD Grant. 

“Its administrative challenges need to be resolved, all 12 million unemployed persons need to have access to it.

“The grant also needs to be increased to the food poverty line and its participants linked to skills development and job opportunities. The nation cannot afford to leave an army of unemployed and despondent people behind.”

Gender-based violence

The federation also said the passing of the three gender-based violence acts must be accompanied by the capacitation of law enforcement organs to ensure effective implementation. 

“Legislative amendments to extend the protection for whistleblowers need to be expedited, including the allocation of adequate funding.”

Public servants must be acknowledged

Cosatu also said that the government needed to fix its relationship with public servants.

“Whilst Cosatu welcomes many of the progressive commitments outlined in the Sona, none of them will materialise if the government fails to fix its relationship with public servants.

“The selfless nurses, doctors, police and correctional service officers, teachers, and public servants that heroically defended the economy and the nation during the pandemic have been shabbily treated since 2020.

“What was said in the Sona is useful only if the budget funds it. The 2023/24 Budget to be tabled at Parliament on 22 February needs to speak to the commitments announced in the Sona and then matched by clear implementation timeframes by the respective departments.” 

READ MORE: Sona 2023: Ramaphosa announces a national state of disaster