STATE OF THE NATION 2026

Herewith an independent report on SONA

This was President Ramaphosa’s second-last SONA, as the ANC will elect new leadership at the end of next year.

He appeared confident and at ease as he delivered his largely upbeat address, which lasted one hour and 43 minutes. 

Key takeaways include:

• The SANDF will be deployed to communities plagued by gangsters in the Western Cape and by illegal mining activities in Gauteng. 
• The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was declared a national disaster, and the president confirmed that the government has decided to vaccinate the national herd
• Not surprisingly, water featured prominently in the speech, with the president announcing key measures to address the water crisis in Johannesburg and elsewhere in the country.  This includes the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee – chaired by the president – which will coordinate all efforts within a single body and use technical experts to assist it. 
• The president was open about the reasons for the collapse of infrastructure in Johannesburg and other towns and cities, citing inadequate planning, poor maintenance and neglect over a long period. 
• He was upbeat on the economy, stating that SA is in a stronger position than it was a year ago due to growth as well as reform measures that have been adopted. 
• SA’s ailing criminal justice system was also discussed – with the president stating that the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption in the police revealed rampant corruption “which cannot be tolerated”.
• He added that the whole senior leadership structure of the police and the various metropolitan police departments would be vetted, and this would include lifestyle audits.
• While the president’s address was largely domestically focused, he repeated statements made in last year’s SONA – namely that SA will not be bullied – obviously a dig at the Trump administration.