SONA 2026: EFF Has Low Expectations Ahead of President Ramaphosa’s Speech, South Africans Divided

• The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) expressed low expectations for President Cyril Ramaphosa's upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA)
• The party's Sinawo Thambo criticised the president’s unfulfilled promises on crime from the previous edition of SONA
• South Africans share mixed reactions on social media about the EFF's comments and the president's record when it comes to the event

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has little to no expectations for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

President Ramaphosa will deliver the speech at the Cape Town City Hall on 12 February 2026, at 7 pm. R7 million has been budgeted for this year’s event already.

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With the area around City Hall already buzzing ahead of the speech, politicians have weighed in on what they expect from the president.

EFF has no expectations ahead of the speech

Speaking to Eyewitness News outside the venue, the EFF’s National Spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, said they had seen no implementation of the promises made during last year's speech.

Thambo noted that Ramaphosa said crime would be one of the priorities he would focus on, but all he did was set up the Madlanga Commission and then establish a task team to look into the recommendations of the task team.

“So, you can see that there’s no commitment to actually ever do anything. He’s in a permanent consultative and inquiry phase,” Thambo said.

He noted that Ramaphosa said Senzo Mchunu was his political burden to bear, but that wasn’t the case, as it was the burden of South Africans who still had to pay the Minister of Police’s salary while he was on leave.

Thambo said that this proved that Ramaphosa’s commitment was far more to his cronies than any commitment he made to fighting crime.

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“Our people are dying, they’re dying of thirst, they’re not bathing in Johannesburg. Our people don’t have electricity. They replaced loadshedding with load reduction.

“Nothing is really improving. So, let’s see what he has to say tonight,” he concluded.

South Africans react to the EFF’s comments

Social media users weighed in on the party’s lack of enthusiasm about the upcoming speech, sharing mixed reactions to it.

Quintez Nabal said:

“They don’t have to express it. Every single South African has it in spades. Pessimism about that speech is all anybody has.”

Amos Lukhele stated:

“I was expecting such a statement from any opposition party. That's why they exist; they exist to criticise.”

Walter Molokomme added:

“ANC members will be listening. Not us, I’ll be watching Moja Love while others will be facing load reduction and no water.”

Musanda Wa Thathe suggested:

“They must sing, disrupt, cause all sorts of chaos as usual.”

Geoff Wellstead exclaimed:

“A sad State of the Nation.”

Mandy Richards said:

“What a waste of time it will be. Promises that he never sticks to.”

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Ivan Nel stated:

“All eyes will be on President Ramaphosa as he reads a speech prepared by a legal and PR team whom he has never met.”

COSATU calls for action on unemployment

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said it expects President Ramaphosa to use his SONA speech to address unemployment.

Briefly News reported that the union warned that weak economic growth and expensive electricity continue to place heavy pressure on working-class families.

COSATU also called for stronger action against corruption and for the Social Relief of Distress grant to be increased.

Source: Briefly News