Social media reacts to Sona debate

This year’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the reaction to it, was a considerable improvement on Jacob Zuma’s usual dreaded speech.

Many were reminded of the spirit of late former president Nelson Mandela in the way Sona was delivered.

Zuma’s 2017 Sona was met with much dissatisfaction. Image: Twitter/Mail & Guardian.

Ramaphosa promised that he would work to restore the public’s confidence in government, commit to ethical behaviour and leadership, improve the current national minimum wage, improve support for the disadvantaged, address land issues and, if needed, expropriation without compensation.

The general tone of the speech left South Africans feeling hopeful. Even Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema voiced his confidence in Ramaphosa leading South Africa to a brighter future.

The Sona debate is taking place today.

Here are some reactions, courtesy of Twitter:

Malema warns Maimane that the DA's stay in the metros will be determined by your attitude towards expropriation of land without compensation. "Anyone opposed to exproproation without compensation is an enemy of our people" #SonaDebate

— Govan Whittles 🇿🇦 (@govanwhittles) February 19, 2018

Maimane: Mr Ramphosa, you are not just the President of a particular party. You are our President, and I am proud to call you that… But, when you make mistakes – as surely you will – we will fulfill our patriotic duty and hold you to account.#SonaDebate

— Ranjeni Munusamy (@RanjeniM) February 19, 2018

#EFF MP #DelisiweNgwenya is fire 🔥 speaking for women , girls, lesbians, sex workers, rural women, schoolgirls & pregnant women!

"Mr President, a maternity clinic in the Northwest looks like where you keep your buffaloes"

EFF ithuma usis' Delisiwe!

👏🏽👏🏽 #SONADebate

— Malema-nyana ❤💚🖤 (@UnmovedLee) February 19, 2018

How do you talk about a ‘new dawn’ when you’ve been in government for well over two decades? Who is responsible for the ‘old night’? #SONADebate

— Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh (@SizweMpofuWalsh) February 19, 2018

https://twitter.com/lesterkk/status/965517031033458688

https://twitter.com/michaelcardo/status/965510549047074816

As #SonaDebate continues and Maimane guns for Sadtu's "state capture" and "broken education", Ramaphosa takes notes on his tablet with a keypad. Not possible to see the screen from up here but doesn't look like Candy Crush 😑

— carien du plessis (@carienduplessis) February 19, 2018

https://twitter.com/lesterkk/status/965510807919480833

"I want to be the for the alcoholics"#SONADebate pic.twitter.com/caFYtcGLxi

— LVC (@Mxolisi_Dlmn) February 19, 2018

Judas Iscariot in the making #SONADebate pic.twitter.com/Cb8hrNrplF

— aguy (@fasaitry) February 19, 2018

The debate will continue throughout the course of today.

Sources: The Citizen, Twitter

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