STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
Writer : Allison Cooper Images: GCIS
SONA Reply: inspiring hope and confidence
shared goal,” he said. Following his SONA, the President received many valuable contributions on how to effectively address South Africa’s challenges. “The most pressing of which is fixing the economy as it’s essential to almost every other area of life. Our focus on the economy does not, however, diminish the importance of the many other areas of government’s work,” he said, confirming that these issues will be dealt with in greater detail in the upcoming budget votes and Ministers’ public engagements.
A committed state President Ramaphosa said the country was emerging from over a decade of low growth and
T
deepening unemployhere is broad
of the Nation Address
two Houses of Parliament.
agreement, across
(SONA) Debate Reply
“I called for a new con-
society, that as
held recently.
ment, state capture and the assault on the institu-
sensus to unite our coun-
tions of the state that
He made a call to every
try, in a moment of great
accompanied it.
South Africa’s economy,
South Africans to rally to-
crisis, behind an agenda
create employment and
gether in the fight against
for change and renewal…
the fact that the pandemic
government works to grow
“We cannot disregard
fight hunger and pov-
corruption, and the fight
Although they represent
has caused our economy
erty, no one should be left
to create jobs and achieve
different parties and dif-
severe damage that will
behind.
a more just and equal
ferent perspectives, many
take years to repair. Un-
society.
of the speakers in the
less we appreciate these
SONA Debate affirmed
facts, unless we charac-
their commitment to this
terise the current situation
President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed this in his 2022 State
12
This call was answered by several members of the
Public Sector Manager • February 2022
