Gatvol South Africans slate Sona on social media

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) last week may have trended on social media, but possibly for all the wrong reasons.

An online vote of no-confidence followed much of the same old rhetoric, dressed up in an emperor’s new clothes.

The social sentiment in the last few days has been that all the failings of the government were laid bare beneath positive spin and promises.

Netnographer and digital analyst Carmen Murray said while the president had got his game on for feel-good initiatives, like Jerusalema or the Ndlovu Youth Choir, when it came to political issues and his tactical political game play, South Africans would have none of it this time round.

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She said people also questioned what supporting local really meant, particularly given beneficiation is a far cry from realisation in this country, and even retailers who claim to manufacture locally, simply assemble the sum of imported parts.

“Ramaphosa should not be telling us about his leather shoes,” said one Tweet, “but rather tell us how many government departments have procured from local suppliers.”

Another mentioned that Ramaphosa had promised government-created jobs in December last year, only to call on business to fulfil that task in his Sona appeal.

“A lot of comment was passed about this statement and how South Africans should not destroy businesses if this is the case, clearly referring to the mid-2021 looting malaise,” said Murray.

The R350 monthly saving ice-cream shop also solicited much comment, some calling it out as a lie.

“There’s also quite a backlash amongst key online conversations and, interestingly, sentiment on Sona saw a similar pattern emerge towards the president as it had prior to the November municipal elections.”

Murray added the president received a less than 10% positive rating on his address, with most people ambivalent about what he said and 25% of chitchat negative.

“Poverty and corruption remain the themes that will burden whatever the president or the government promises.”

“Black people, wake up. We are on our own,”was on tweet.

This tweet, said Murray, sums up much of the sentiment toward the ANC-led government.

“South Africans are gatvol of speeches that are allegedly without substance.

“Service delivery, crime and 25-year-old promises that remain exactly that: words on paper.”

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– news@citizen.co.za