Reitumetse Makwea

By Reitumetse Makwea

Journalist


‘Stats do not lie’: Experts slam ‘delusional’ Ramaphosa’s confidence

Sona reply gets flack: political analysts slammed Ramaphosa's confidence regarding South Africa's progress over the past five years.


President Cyril Ramaphosa is being delusional if he believes South Africa made great strides over the past five years, experts said following the president’s reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa replied to parliamentary critics.

Sona: Debate remarks

SA’s (supposed) progress

“We must reflect on the progress we have made. Nobody can deny the distance we have come over the past five years,” Ramapphosa said.

However, various experts and consultants from different industries disagreed and said “statistics do not lie”.

ALSO READ: EFF snub Ramaphosa’s response to Sona debate

Ramaphosa is ‘delusional’

Political analyst Xolani Dube said the president should “check how many people can afford a basic food basket in SA”, and also go back to when he himself said about two-thirds of the country were surviving on social grants.

Dube said the president cannot honestly believe SA has made progress in the last five years.

He said, “for him to tell us the country is on a positive path is definitely a sign of being delusional”.

ALSO READ: Sona debate: ‘Resolving electricity crisis is top priority for 2023

‘Denying culpability is dangerous’

Busa CEO Cas Coovadia said restoration of economic confidence had to translate into an investment, “and we haven’t seen that”.

Labour consultant Tony Healy said, although the ANC inherited an already high unemployment rate in 1994, it had essentially doubled since then.

“In my view to shamelessly deny any culpability is dangerous,” he said.

ALSO READ: SA Medical Association outraged over Sona’s failure to address healthcare crisis

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