On Thursday evening, South Africans everywhere will tune in to hear President Cyril Ramaphosa deliver the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) from Cape Town’s City Hall. This address, scheduled for 7pm SAST, will be the first of the seventh administration, but it comes at a time when Ramaphosa’s leadership is increasingly under fire. His presidency has been marked by inaction, indecisiveness, and an alarming lack of patriotism.
Nonetheless, deputy minister in The Presidency, Kenny Morolong, has urged South Africans to engage with the address through television, radio, and social media. President Ramaphosa’s approach to governance has often been criticised as unpatriotic, prioritising political deals and appeasing powerful interests rather than tackling the urgent needs of ordinary South Africans.
One of the most glaring failures of Ramaphosa’s administration has been its handling of the energy crisis. The country’s crippling power outages have become a daily burden on businesses, households, and the economy as a whole, yet Ramaphosa’s response has been sluggish and insufficient. His plans for resolving the energy crisis have lacked urgency, and his government’s actions have proven to be inadequate.
Ramaphosa’s non-patriotic governance can be seen as a political maneuvering strategy that serves elitist interests. His administration has been reluctant to make the tough decisions required to restore confidence in his governance.
In the upcoming SONA, one of the key things South Africans will be looking for are answers to the energy crisis, the SONA will also focus on the priorities of the Government of National Unity (GNU), including job creation, poverty reduction, and state capacity building.
The truth is that Ramaphosa’s administration has shown little ability to prioritise the interests of South Africans. Rather than taking bold steps to address issues in South Africa, the president has seemed more concerned with maintaining political alliances and safeguarding his own position within the ruling party. His approach to governance lacks the patriotism and determination necessary to put South Africa’s interests first. The president’s priorities seem increasingly aligned with the preservation of political power rather than the advancement of the nation’s welfare.
As the nation listens to Ramaphosa’s address, the question will remain: can CR finally take ownership of the country’s policies and demonstrate the courage and leadership that South Africa needs ?
Every nation needs a leader who is genuinely committed to the nation’s future, willing to make tough decisions that promote national interest above political convenience. Our Man of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has made us understand that the type of leader that has their nations interest at heart can only come from God. Since 2020, we as the church have been praying according to 1 Timothy 2:1-4, prioritising intercession for leaders of nations and people in positions of authority. Since then, the church has seen the effects of prioritising such prayers around the world, the most recent being the victory in the elections of the United States of America. Even now, let us continue to prioritise praying according to 1 Timothy 2:1-4, for the nation of the South Africa and the current administration to ensure permanent positive results in the year 2025, our continued prayers will create a climate for divine intervention.
