Sona 2023: Minister of Electricity, R350 SRD Grant & 6 Other Things President Cyril Ramaphosa Promised Mzansi
On Thursday, 9 February, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (Sona) and made many promises to South Africans. The speech addressed the energy crisis, water shortages and failing infrastructure, among other things.
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Briefly News takes a look at some of the promises Ramaphosa made in the State of Nation Address.
1. Ramaphosa declares a national state of disaster over the energy crisis
Ramaphosa stated that an unstable energy supply is one of the biggest threats to South Africa's economy.
One of the president's first commitments was that government plans to deal with the energy crisis by implementing a national state of disaster that came into effect on 9 February.
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In addition to implementing the national state of disaster, Ramaphosa has decided to appoint a Minister of Electricity in the Presidency. The new minister will oversee all aspects of the electricity crisis response and work alongside the National Energy Crisis Committee, reports SABC News.
2. Ramaphosa promises police reform
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that government wants to combat high crime levels with the same energy it is addressing economic reform. Ramaphosa stated government plans to increase capacity, fix the emergency helplines and tackle Eskom sabotage.
According to the Mail & Guardian, 10 000 new police personnel will be recruited and trained this year. The president also promised to increase the police budget to allow for the hiring of more recruits.
In addition, government will liaise with call centres to support the proper functioning of the 10111 helpline. Ramaphosa added that partnering with the private sector will ensure no calls go unanswered.
The president added that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has now established a dedicated team to deal with corruption and sabotage of Eskom power stations.
3. Government to build 95 bridges for school children
The president gave attention to a prevailing problem in poor communities where children struggle to get to school. According to TimesLIVE, the government will build 95 bridges for school children who need to cross flooded rivers to get an education.
This will be achieved by upscaling the Welisizwe rural bridges programme. The programme currently builds 14 bridges per year. Ramaphosa added that the rural roads programme would upgrade 685km of rural roads in the next three years.
"This social enterprise programme includes access roads in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, gravel to surface upgrades in the Free State and North West and capacity and connectivity improvements in the Western Cape," said Ramaphosa.
4. Ramaphosa extends the R350 grant and recommits to the basic income grant
President Cyril Ramaphosa once again extended the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant for another year. The grant was initially implemented to assist unemployed South Africans who struggled to make ends meet during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since the SRD grant was only supposed to be a temporary feature, Ramaphosa stated that the government is now working on implementing a targeted basic income support, reports BusinessTech.
Ramaphosa stated that in an effort to address the rising cost of living, government will also increase existing grants. The details about where the money will come from will be discussed in the 2023 Budget Speech scheduled for 22 February.
5. Government wants to revive South Africa's railway lines
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country's economy has not been able to grow because of a lack of efficient ports and railways. To address the railway issues, government will implement the National Railway Policy, reports PowerFM.
The policy will guide modernisation, reform the railway sector and provide for third-party access to railroads.
According to TimesLIVE, the government will prioritise the rehabilitation of the passenger rail network in 10 priority corridors. Additionally, Transnet Freight Rail will be restructured to employ an Infrastructure Manager for the rail network by October 2023.
6. Ramaphosa says government will invest in water assets
Water security, investment in water resources and asset maintenance are top priorities, according to Ramaphosa. The president stated that legislation has been prepared to establish the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency.
The water quality monitoring system has been reinstated to ensure water standards at the municipal level are improved, according to TimesLIVE.
As South Africa faces water security concerns, Ramaphosa stated that government has a plan to remedy this. He said:
"The Department of Water & Sanitation is leading the process of investing in major infrastructure projects across the country and the water department."
Gauteng residents in Johannesburg and Pretoria have faced water shortages for a while now.
7. Ramaphosa says R1.5 trillion will be invested in South Africa
As part of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, Ramaphosa stated that R1.5 trillion would be invested into South Africa's economy over the next five years.
The money will be used to strengthen new frontiers such as green hydrogen energy, renewable energy and electric vehicles, according to The Citizen.
“Several new sectors are emerging in the economy, such as major green hydrogen, electric vehicles and fuel cells,” said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa acknowledged in his speech that there are currently a few projects such as the development of a new facility by Sasol at Boegoebaai in the Northern Cape, the Hydrogen Valley initiative in Limpopo, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and the Prieska Power Reserve in the Free State.
Ramaphosa added that these projects would create jobs and would focus on workers and communities to ensure "no one is left behind."
8. Ramaphosa wants to remove red tape for SMMEs
The president wants government to remove all unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape holding the country back. Ramaphosa acknowledged that the youth are the most vulnerable to unemployment and wants youth unemployment addressed.
According to eNCA, the red tape reduction team in the Presidency has been working alongside various sectors to make it easier to do business. The government will finalise amendments to the Business Act to reduce regulatory impediments for SMMEs and co-operatives.
This will make it easier for entrepreneurs to start businesses, according to Ramaphosa.
Sona 2023: EFF calls Ramaphosa a dictator using state to protect him after they got booted from City Hall
Briefly News previously reported the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) released a statement detailing how violently they were kicked out of the State of the Nation Address (Sona).
The political party said its members were assaulted in Parliament by a mixture of law enforcement agencies who entered the chambers without being called by the National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
"The scenes in Parliament today are reflective of the kind of Presidency Ramaphosa leads. It is one of the suppression of democratic debate, abuse of state organs and law enforcement agencies to undermine accountability and unrepentant violence."
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Source: Briefly News
