Eskom, State-Owned Enterprises Should Be Focus of Ramaphosa’s SONA 2024: Stellenbosch Professor
- Parliament has put rules into effect that will prevent political parties from disrupting President Cyril Ramaphosa during his SONA speech
- The State of the Nation Address is expected to be delivered on 8 February 2024 and Parliament is ensuring that the president is not disrupted
- Stellenbosch University's Professor Zwelinzima Ndlevu told Briefly News that the country has high expectations for this SONA and expects the condition of state-owned enterprises to take centre stage
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, the State of the Nation Address, politician-related news, and Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News elections for over seven years.
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Parliament has ensured that when President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address, no one will disturb him. The rules prohibiting anyone from disrupting him have come into effect.
Stellenbosch University's Director of the School of Public Leadership, Zwelinzima Ndevu, told Briefly News that he expected SOEs to be a focal point during the SONA.
Politicians prevented from disturbing Ramaphosa's SONA
According to eNCA, presiding officers of Parliament assured those attending of their safety. Parliament has put measures in place to ensure decorum is maintained. The rules state that no member may interrupt the president, interruptions are prohibited and no business other than the SONA must be raised in Parliament.
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Professor Zwelinzima Ndevu shares expectations with Briefly News
Speaking to Briefly News, Ndevu shared some expectations of the president's SONA.
"We expect the President to give us a report on the promises made last year. High on the list will be the energy crisis, economic growth, challenges with a lack of progress in infrastructure development, and crime (while the stats show that it has stabilised, there is still a huge concern with levels of murder and hijackings, for example).
"We expect the president to present plans for reconfiguration of government to reduce the number of departments and to talk about processes made in unbundling Eskom. The state of SOEs will also be a priority for the president and the slow pace of land reform programmes. The issue around the NSFAS could also be an area where the president will announce reforms."
What you need to know about Parliament's SONA rules
- Last year, Parliament instituted new rules to prevent politicians and political party members from disrupting the president's SONA speech
- Parliament also motioned six Economic Freedom Fighters members to be suspended from Parliament for disturbing Cyril Ramaphosa last year
- The EFF appealed for the suspension to be lifted and lost their bid on two occasions
South Africans not excited for SONA
South Africans on Facebook revealed they are not keen on the SONA.
Bigboy Clocks Moremi said:
"Eskom should just save us from this. We've been used enough now."
Velocity Meme remarked:
"I would be happy to have just a little 12 hours of loadshedding today."
Eldad Kachtan remarked:
"Hopefully, this is the last clown show of the ANC."
Joohan Stapelberg exclaimed:
"Luckily, it will be loadshedding then."
Mduduzi King Shiba added:
"I'd rather switch off my TV."
Minister Ronald Lamola says cadre deployment is here to stay
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said cadre deployment is not going anywhere.
During the 2023 State of the Nation Address's debate, the Democratic Alliance moved to remove the cadre deployment policy. Lamola insisted that the ANC would not do away with it and would use it to build state-owned enterprises.
Source: Briefly News
