Ramaphosa’s Sona is not a blueprint but a wish list, says Buthelezi

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founder and MP, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has described President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) as a beautiful “wish-list” of all the things that would be nice to have in South Africa.

Sona debate 2022

Buthelezi made the remarks during the Sona debate at Cape Town City Hall on Monday, through the party’s chief whip Narend Singh.

This was highlighted when Buthelezi questioned the ANC’s political will and its government’s ability to deliver on everything Ramaphosa had committed to do this year.

“There is strong precedent to suggest that no matter what the president tells us during Sona, it is not a blueprint but a wish-list.

“It lists all the things that would be nice to have. Yet year after year the commitments made during Sona are delayed, changed or unfulfilled,” said Buthelezi.

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Buthelezi said that while it was a mammoth task for Ramaphosa to respond to citizens’ needs, he should first “take stock of what the president [Ramaphosa] called ‘the foremost, overriding priorities of 2021” which were:

• Defeating the coronavirus pandemic;
• Accelerating economic recovery;
• Creating jobs;
• Fighting corruption; and
• Strengthening the State

“We have the single, clear message about what is happening. It is time to face the truth about why it is happening. Without that, any message about what government is doing to address the matter will be empty intention,” said Buthelezi.

Meanwhile, the DA has tabled a motion of no-confidence against the country’s entire Cabinet. During the Sona 2022 debate, DA leader John Steenhuisen tore into Ramaphosa over his poor-performing ministers.

Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa admitted that he puts the ANC ahead of the country, which is why he cannot bring himself to fire any of the party members who fail in their portfolios.

“Instead of cleaning out your cabinet you simply reshuffle the inept and the corrupt, again and again, until every single ministry has the grubby fingerprints of failure all over it,” said Steenhuisen.

Ramaphosa was not present to hear the Sona 2022 debate as he was participating virtually.

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