South Africans use Ramaphosa’s Tintswalo analogy against him

While some South Africans took to social media to share their success stories under democracy, others have used President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) speech to highlight the challenges faced by young people today.

During his Sona speech on Thursday, Ramaphosa used a Tintswalo analogy to highlight the progress that South Africa made in the past 30 years.

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He said: “Tintswalo – democracy’s child – grew up in a society that was worlds apart from the South Africa of her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. She grew up in a society governed by a constitution rooted in equality, the rule of law, and affirmation of the inherent dignity of every citizen.

“Tintswalo, and many others born at the same time as her, were beneficiaries of the first policies of the democratic state to provide free health care for pregnant women and children under the age of six.

“Tintswalo’s formative years were spent in a house provided by the state, one of millions of houses built to shelter the poor. Tintswalo grew up in a household provided with basic water and electricity, in a house where her parents were likely to have lived without electricity before 1994.

“Tintswalo was enrolled in a school in which her parents did not have to pay school fees, and each school day she received a nutritious meal as part of a programme that today supports 9 million learners from poor families.

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“The democratic state provided a child support grant to meet her basic needs. This grant, together with other forms of social assistance, continues to be a lifeline for more than 26 million South Africans every month. With this support, Tintswalo – democracy’s child – was able to complete high school.

“Through the assistance the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Tintswalo attended one of our TVET colleges and obtained a qualification. When Tintswalo entered the world of work, she was able to progress and thrive with the support of the state’s employment equity and black economic empowerment policies.

“With the income she earned, she was able to save, to start a family, to move into a better house, and to live a better life.”

However, unemployed South Africans took to social media to highlight the country’s high unemployment rate, among other issues, saying they are not the “Tintswalo” Ramaphosa referred to.

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According to the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics SA in November, there were 7.8 million unemployed South Africans.

In the same period, employment in South Africa increased by 399 000 jobs.

Videos that circulated on social media when schools reopened showing pupils crossing overflowing rivers to get to school have resurfaced as South Africans highlight the challenges faced by pupils, especially in rural areas.

Just hours after Ramaphosa told South Africans the worst of the country’s load shedding crisis was behind us, Eskom escalated the power cuts to stage 4 “until further notice”.

Did Tintswalo even watch the Sona?

Although Ramaphosa highlighted the gains of democracy, he did not shy away from highlighting the challenges South Africans still face today.

“Despite the remarkable achievements of the last 30 years, many of democracy’s children still face great challenges,” he said.

ALSO READ: Sona 2024: ‘Worst is behind us,’ says Ramaphosa about load shedding

“Millions of young people aged 15 to 24 years are currently not in employment, education or training. There are many who have a matric, a diploma or a degree who cannot find a job, or do not have the means to start a business.”

He said the government had took steps to address these issues, including the Presidential Employment Stimulus and Presidential Youth Employment Intervention.