SONA 2025: Cyril Ramaphosa Announces R940 Billion To Be Spent on Infrastructure

• President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during the State of the Nation Address that the government will spend R940 billion on infrastructure
• He said that R375 billion will be spent on state-owned companies, and added that the state is engaging investors to unlockR100 billion in funding
• Political analysts Professor Dirk Kotze and Professor Mlungisi Phakathi from the University of South Africa spoke to Briefly News about the investment and infrastructure

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address revealed that the government will spend R940 billion on infrastructure over the next five years. He also said the government is working to secure R100 billion in infrastructure spending. Briefly News spoke to University of South Africa political analysts Professor Dirk Kotze and Professor Mlungisi Phakathi, who commented on the infrastructure investment.

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What did Ramaphosa say?

Ramaphosa delivered his SONA address on 6 February 2025 at the Cape Town City Hall. It was the first SONA since the Government of National Unity was formed. He said that the government is engaging local and international financial institutions and investors to unlock R100 billion in infrastructure financing. He added that R375 billion of the R940 billion will be spent on state-owned enterprises.

Long-term strategy

Professor Kotze told Briefly News that the government's R940 billion investment in infrastructures is a long-term strategy which will result in long-term projects like building dams, and bridges and upgrading public infrastructure like harbours. He pointed out that infrastructure is capital-intensive and the investment into infrastructure is a long-term project. The African National Congress, speaking on its readiness for the SONA address, said infrastructure development will be one of the key focuses.

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"This is part of the nine components of Ramaphosa's post-COVID development, something he promised soon after he became president in 2019. Every year he attended international conferences where he tried to mobilise capital from investors and it produced good results. It is also regarded as an important injection, specifically because infrastructures are such a key component of government," he said.

Professor Phakathi called on the government to invest in building infrastructure that would lift rural and underprivileged communities out of poverty. He said there should be a strong emphasis on local development.

Jacob Zuma missed the SONA

In a related article, Briefly News reported that MK Party president Jacob Zuma did not attend the State of the Nation Address. This was despite allegations that he would attend.

Zuma was in court as he appeared before the Pietermaritzburg High Court to appeal a ruling that dismissed his attempt to remove Advocate Billy Downer as a prosecutor for his state capture case.

Source: Briefly News