Central SA
Analyst predicts nothing new from upcoming SONA─── PULANE CHOANE 10:19 Tue, 05 Feb 2019
A political analyst based at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, Sethulego Matebesi, says South Africans can expect nothing new from President Cyril Ramaphosa in his upcoming State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
Matebesi said that apart from the land issue, tackling corruption and creating jobs, he anticipates that Ramaphosa will not be saying anything new. Matebesi, however, said Ramaphosa should address pertinent issues such as the high crime rate, the ANC officials who have been implicated in the ongoing Zondo Commission into state capture, as well as the shortage of basic medication in hospitals across the country.
Another prediction Matebesi makes is that while Ramaphosa will most definitely touch on corruption, he is unlikely to divulge his role in the alleged corruption at the facilities management company, African Global Group, which was formerly known as Bosasa Operations. This comes after Ramaphosa's ties with the company, which has been at the centre of many witness revelations during the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, has been under scrutiny since it was revealed last year that he received R500 000 as a donation from then Bosasa CEO, Gavin Watson.
Matebesi said other issues which are likely to come to the fore during Ramaphosa's address will be the state of municipalities following the Venda Building Society (VBS) saga, where it was found that municipalities in the country illegally invested close to R1 billion in the now liquidated bank. Ramaphosa will deliver the last State of the Nation Address for the fifth and current Parliament in Cape Town at 19h00 on Thursday. This State of the Nation Address will also signify South Africa’s marking of 25 years of freedom and democracy.
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