SONA 2020: The time for talking is over, President must take action
12 February 2020
The time for merely talking about South Africa's problems is over. It will not save the country. Action must be taken immediately.
Thus, there are great expectations for President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address (SONA) which will take place this Thursday. The people of South Africa are looking to the President to provide them with solutions for the various problems that are currently crippling the country and its economy.
In his previous three SONAs, the President himself clearly identified the problems in the country. They include, among other things, unemployment, a lack of economic growth, crime and the struggling public enterprises that swallow up tax money.
These problems are general knowledge, so the President does not need to reiterate what they are. What the FF Plus wants to know is what he and his government are going to do to solve these problems. We want to see action and we want to hear what practical steps will be taken.
Holding yet another summit and appointing one more commission will not help. It also does not help to say that there is money in the Government Employees Pension Fund to address the financial problems at enterprises like Eskom and the SAA.
On top of that, it is audacious to say that officials do not have to worry about their pensions as the government will guarantee that their funds are safe.
If there is indeed money available to guarantee this, then why should the Government Employees Pension Fund be used to finance the struggling enterprises in the first place? It is totally unacceptable.
Action must be taken to combat crime and ensure the safety of the people of South Africa. It is of no use if the President just keeps pointing out the problems in this regard, he must announce plans to solve them.
Like the rest of the people in South Africa, the FF Plus is tired of empty words and promises and the mere identification and reiteration of problems. We want to see action.
Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 12 February 2020
