‘Ramaphosa just lied’: Opposition parties slam Sona speech

President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s State of the Nation Address (Sona) was riddled with lies and empty promises while undermining South Africans’ intelligence.

This was the view of opposition parties, who left no stone unturned in criticising Ramaphosa’s seventh Sona, delivered at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday.

His “democracy child” Tintswalo analogy was labelled as fictitious and without a proper understanding of the daily problems South Africans face.

Bosa

Build One SA (Bosa) spokesperson Ayanda Allie shredded Ramaphosa’s speech, saying the ANC government has failed South Africans.

State of the Nation Address#SONA2024 #BOSA #VoteBOSA @AyandaAllie pic.twitter.com/QU9RjC3WF7

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Reflection on NHI: My son was stabbed and we received abysmal service from the state

— BOSA (@BuildOneSA) February 8, 2024

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She said the speech was just “big English, empty and devout of the truth.”

“The ANC government does not have the desire nor the ability to implement anything the president is saying.

“They are inhibiting good and well-meaning civil servants. Where are the bullet trains, and houses for Alexandra residents?

“Where is the smart city and the reliable electricity?” Allie asked.

She accused Ramaphosa of enabling state capture corruption when he was former president Jacob Zuma’s deputy.

“The president has the sheer audacity to speak about state capture as if it was done by aliens out of space. Mr President, you were deputy during state capture, it was you who enabled it.

“Those implicated are right there with you in the room. And then he speaks of Tintswalo, may God have mercy on her soul.

“She lives in a dilapidated RDP house because it was built with inferior material so that politicians can get kickbacks, she goes to hospitals that have no doctors, her parents have no jobs.

“Don’t let me get started on NSFAS because it has not paid her registration and yet students are in orientation as we speak,” she told news channel eNCA.

ATM

Meanwhile, African Transformation Movement (ATM) MP Vuyo Zungula said South Africans listened to their President lie as he delivered the Sona.

“He lied to South Africans and undermined their intelligence. The president speaks as if things are better.

“He wants to mislead people by making a comparison of how things were under apartheid, it would have been better if he delved into his last five years in office.

READ MORE: ‘Democracy’s child’: Ramaphosa touts ANC’s 30-year track record at Sona 2024

It wouldn’t be wise for South African voters to re-elect him and his party again, he added. 

“He is leading South Africa towards a failed state,” said Zungula.

UDM

Unimpressed United Democratic Movement (UDM) MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said the Sona was a campaign speech gone wrong.

“We are glad it’s his last Sona. It was long, and idea-rich but lacked coherence and details. For example, he speaks of random infrastructure projects but doesn’t say where the money will come from.

“He doesn’t tell us how and where money will come from because really, government is broke. A long list of promises was made,

“The ANC government still fails to take responsibility for the mess it created, and because they refuse to take responsibility, what they are not doing is explain how, if they come back, will they take the country out of this quagmire.”

GOOD Party

The GOOD party decried the lack of support for the basic income grant in Ramaphosa’s speech.

The R350 SRD grant is not enough for beneficiaries to feed themselves, says party MP Brett Herron.

“We are disappointed that the address did not commit at all to social security overhaul.

“A ⁠⁠basic income support is the foundation on which we can build a stable and effective economy which embraces a green economy, high-speed rail, water infrastructure and logistic infrastructure programmes.

“We can’t build a sophisticated economy on an unstable social structure,” said Herron.

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