Watch live: IOL is broadcasting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Union address live on its social media channels and YouTube.
IOL will have live coverage from guests arriving on the red carpet and sharing their expectations for Ramaphosa’s 10th SONA, to his speech, the reactions of politicians and guests after the speech, and a post-SONA breakdown in the studio hosted by IOL editor Lance Witten with a panel consisting of veteran political analyst and IOL contributor Dr. Reneva Hooley, Cape Argus editor Liesl van der Schiff and political correspondents. Chloe Maluleke, analyst and trade specialist.
Follow the live stream from 4pm on YouTube and follow the conversation using the hashtag #IOLSONA on our social media channels: X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
After SONA collapse
The studio will feature post-Sona informational panels with IOL Editor Lance Witten, Political Analyst and IOL Contributor Dr. Reneva Hooley, Cape Argus Editor Liesl van der Schiff, and Political Analyst and Trade Expert Chloe Maluleke.
Witten, Fourie and van der Schiff will start the discussion.
Witten said SONA was “interesting” but complex with too few empty promises. “Despite opening SONA to honor the women who marched in 1956, he has let South African women down.”
“I think this time he was more relevant to ordinary South Africans. He touched on important issues such as crime and service delivery. Now we have to see if it is implemented,” Fourie said.
Mr van der Schiff said: “The president has made big promises every year, but this year it was important to deliver. The biggest problem is running water. The people of Joburg don’t even have water.”
Mr Foley said: “Initially there was a power crisis and that affected the ANC. Now water is a big issue. I have been exposed to no water and no electricity.
They expressed their opinions on whether deploying the SANDF was a good idea.
“Yes and no. How will this work logistically? How much will it cost?” Van der Schiff said.
Witten said the police and military may not have the capacity to de-escalate tensions.
Foley said: “We are coming from a time of recession. Using these repressive measures is not the best solution. We need strong action. Interventions should be specific and short-term, but they should address the root cause, in our case unemployment.”
There is some skepticism when it comes to the topic of task teams and committees.
“I don’t think there will be a conviction. Have we seen any action against Zondo?” van der Schiff asked.
Foley agreed, saying this is just a waste of taxpayers’ money and resources. “Despite all the raids and interventions, no action has been taken.”
Regarding high-speed rail, Hooley said: “In principle, I am against the privatization of state-owned assets. I agree that there are too many trucks on the road, which can cause accidents and damage infrastructure, but it will affect the local sector. So I’m not very optimistic. The benefit we see is to sell assets. State-owned enterprises can actually promote job creation, but that flow will go to the private sector.”
Chloe Maluleke agreed, saying: “I’m tired because we all know how it’s going to end.”
Ramaphosa also addressed minerals during SONA. Mr Hooley said: “It will be the companies who will benefit from the extraction of minerals, not the people.”
While data centers and new technologies are getting a lot of attention, Maluleke said they should not be a priority. “It’s great to want to get into AI and data centers, but can you afford it? Do you have the resources? You can upskill, but AI and data centers shouldn’t be your priority.”
update
Ramaphosa insisted that South Africa would not be bullied by other countries and would continue to support and defend the Global South, as well as Palestine and Cuba.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa announced that the Social Distress Relief (SRD) grant will continue until further notice.
“This year, we are redesigning grants to more effectively support livelihoods, skills development, work opportunities and productive activities. We know that most of the funding provided through social grants is spent on food and transport.”
In his speech, Prime Minister Ramaphosa said foreigners should not be barred from institutions such as hospitals and schools.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa has announced that South African tourist visas will be digitized. This will allow visas to be processed within 24 hours to promote tourism and ease travel. The government also wants to make areas safer for tourists.
The government has declared FMD a national disaster, and a total of 28 million FMD vaccines will be required in the coming months. SAHPRA is expected to approve the vaccine.
High-speed rail will be reintroduced. Mr Ramaphosa said the government was considering high-speed rail projects including routes from Thekwini to Gauteng and Gauteng to Msina.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa has promised that load shedding will end by next year. Prime Minister Ramaphosa said there were plans to reduce high electricity bills, adding that affordability and energy security were key to economic growth and household relief.
Water crisis: President Ramaphosa highlighted the water crisis, saying water is the most important issue for many people in South Africa. The government plans to elevate the response to the water crisis to the National Water Commission.
He said the government was in the final stages of establishing a National Water Infrastructure Authority and repairs to damaged infrastructure were underway.
A total of R156 billion is being spent on construction and water infrastructure development over the next three years.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa praised the Government of National Unity (GNU) and declared that the economy was gaining momentum, but warned that progress would crumble without unity, discipline and mutual respect.
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State Agencies: The President stated that the government was establishing illegal disruption programs. He further said that the National Security Agency would scrutinize SAPS senior management.
Sandhu and police in Zama: “Our main goal this year is to intensify the fight against organized crime and organized syndicates,” Ramaphosa promised. He added that the country cannot fight organized crime by simply “taking a soft approach.”
In addition, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) to assist police in tackling rampant gang violence and illegal mining activities in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
A stronger South Africa: “We are only stronger when we are equal,” said Ramaphosa. He added that he envisions a future where all children are educated and corrupt people face the consequences.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa said the country is stronger now than it was a year ago. “Interest rates are falling and inflation is at a 20-year low. The rand has strengthened against the dollar.”
Ramaphosa delivers sona: President Cyril Ramaphosa began his speech on time at 7pm without interruption after praise singer Leah Leen sang.
She began her speech by praising the women of this country and the women who marched in 1956. He also paid tribute to young people and those who have taken action to change the “injustices of the past.”
At 6 p.m., the media was instructed to cease interviews with senior officials and members of parliament. The ceremonial parade will now begin.
MK Party opinion: MK Party MP Mzwanele Manyi says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s SONA will be another empty promise and believes it will be the same as previous years. “This will be another round of empty promises. Last year we were told there would be about R940 billion in infrastructure development. That didn’t take off.”
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Hoping for SONA on the Red Carpet: Good Congressman Brett Herron hopes the president will address food insecurity and inequality, among other things, in SONA. Herron told IOL that FMD had been an “unnecessarily long crisis”.
When Western Cape Premier Alan Winde was asked what he expected from SONA, he said: “If there’s one thing, it’s policing. We have to change things. We can’t just say change and do nothing. The other thing is the economy and jobs. Nothing gives you dignity like a job and nothing puts food on the table like a job.”
Regarding the water crisis, Winde said more pumps were in operation and work was underway to address the issue. “It’s a long-term investment in infrastructure,” Winde said.
“Let’s make sure our children are ready for Grade R and Grade 1 and that they are ready for school,” said Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwalbe. She added that SONA is about action.
South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie praised the Patriotic Alliance on the red carpet. “We are the fastest growing political party,” Mr McKenzie said, adding that in the Western Cape the Crown Prosecution Service was so dysfunctional that it was “in the ICU”.
Interior Minister Leon Shriver spoke to IOL on the red carpet, expressing hope that the issues plaguing the Interior Department would be resolved. “We have built a strong system at the Department of the Interior,” Shriver said, praising the Department of the Interior’s recent smart ID moves. “But we would like to hear an upgrade to that in SONA so we can take firm action against illegal immigration and more.”
Power Minister Kgoshyensho Ramokgopa has vowed to end load shedding by the end of October. Ramokgopa expressed confidence that load shedding is a thing of the past.
Protest: A large number of EFF protesters outside City Hall demanding urgent action on unemployment and the water crisis.
FIRE ALERT: Motorists are urged to use caution due to a fire near Hospital Bend.
“Philip Cosana has been shut down in Hospital Bend and all vehicles are being diverted to Nelson Mandela Boulevard due to a fire in the area. City firefighters are on scene and two helicopters are water bombing the area. This is an ongoing incident,” said City Transportation Department spokesman Kevin Jacobs.
Water crisis: President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly instructed Water and Sanitation Minister Pemi Majodina and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Belenkosini Hlabisa to urgently address Johannesburg’s water crisis instead of attending SONA in 2026.
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Who will attend SONA?: President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the State of the Union Address (Sona) live from Parliament in Cape Town on Thursday at 7pm.
MPs, diplomats and former presidents, including Jacob Zuma and Galema Motlanthe, will begin arriving at Cape Town City Hall this afternoon, where Mr Ramaphosa is expected to outline his government’s plans for this year and tackle some of the biggest challenges ravaging South Africa.
A tight security network was set up around the city hall, several roads in the area were closed and traffic police were stationed in the area. Pedestrian access is also restricted around the precincts.
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Speaker of Parliament Thoko Didisa said the next budget would be R7 million. 2026 State of the Union Address (SONA) This allocation is justified and significantly lower than last year’s allocation, which was pushed up by unforeseen weather disruptions.
IOL previously reported that Parliament allocated just over R7 million for this year’s address, which was less than half of the R15.5 million earmarked for the 2025 event, with around R12.3 million ultimately spent.
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The city said traffic flow in and around the CBD will be affected before, during and after the event. Some of these closures will be in place until February 28, 2026. Parking spaces available in some areas will also be affected.
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