State of the Nation Address: What’s in It for South Africans - or More Empty Promises?

South Africans are bracing themselves for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), scheduled for Thursday, 12 February 2026 at 7pm.

The address will take place before a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament and gives the President an opportunity to outline government’s key policy objectives and deliverables for the year ahead. It is also a platform to reflect on challenges facing the country and to propose interventions his administration hopes to implement in tackling these issues.

A year ago, the President stood in Parliament with a vision of structural renewal. Today, South Africans expect to hear less about intention and more about execution. In 2025, President Ramaphosa promised to fix load shedding once and for all, and to some extent that promise has materialised. Energy availability has stabilised at around 65%, with diesel costs reduced by approximately R4.8 billion.

The government also recorded a notable success in hosting a G20 summit, despite diplomatic tensions and the absence of the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration. South Africa still managed to deliver a world-class summit with strong support from the European Union.

Yet, beyond these achievements, South Africans are still asking: what is in it for them in 2026? Will this be another year of half-met commitments, or will the government finally deliver fully — especially as the country heads into local government elections?

Because 2026 is an election year for municipalities, questions around job creation and quality basic service delivery remain red flags for the ANC-led government. While the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency has been established, many communities still face poor water quality and limited access, particularly in Johannesburg, the Eastern Cape and rural areas across the country.

The most pressing concern remains unemployment. South Africa’s official unemployment rate sits between 31.9% and 33.2% based on 2025 trends, with the expanded definition exceeding 42%. This is a crisis the government has struggled to reverse. The real test of SONA will be whether the President’s promises translate into real jobs in an economy where opportunities remain scarce.

If President Ramaphosa fails to confront the elephant in the room — unemployment — how can the government realistically tackle the triple threat of poverty, inequality and joblessness?

Youth unemployment in particular continues to fuel hopelessness and declining voter turnout. Many young people no longer believe that government interventions will bring tangible change at grassroots level. Rural communities still lack infrastructure such as sports facilities, youth centres and empowerment hubs. Small businesses struggle to move from informal trading into meaningful participation in the mainstream economy.

South Africans therefore ask: “What’s in it for us?” While SONA is meant to calm fears and outline solutions, its estimated cost of about R7 million — confirmed by Parliament Secretary Xolile George — raises concerns in a country where millions face daily hardship. Although SONA is one of the most important events in South Africa’s constitutional calendar, it also exposes how distant leadership can seem from the realities citizens endure.

This year’s address could either be an opportunity for the government to account honestly for its shortcomings, or another exercise in political make-up — masking real problems with polished rhetoric and recycled promises.

It has become normal for South Africans to witness government failures in local administration, employment, water provision and healthcare.

President Ramaphosa delivers this SONA against a backdrop of political uncertainty brought about by the Government of National Unity, strained international relations and growing domestic pressure. The political climate is approaching a tipping point. He may announce the date for local government elections, while municipalities are expected to receive significant attention.

On the international front, South Africa may signal closer alignment with countries such as Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela, suggesting a posture increasingly distant from the United States amid deteriorating relations.

Economic growth will also be scrutinised, especially since the economy has expanded at less than one percent annually over the past decade.

Infrastructure development, crime, gender-based violence, inequality and social issues will likely feature prominently, but what South Africans really want to hear is how the government plans to reduce the cost of living, create jobs and narrow the inequality gap that continues to deepen each year.

Expectations are therefore cautious. The aftermath of SONA will likely be met with criticism, as citizens live in uncertain times that demand innovation and concrete solutions — not more promises layered on top of those left unfulfilled from previous addresses.

Ultimately, South Africans are crying out for answers to one simple question: “What’s in it for us?” Power is slowly shifting, public patience is thinning, and citizens want delivery, not declarations.

As South Africans, we must also apply creativity, vision and ideas to co-create solutions to our immediate challenges and find ways to manoeuvre through these difficult and demanding times.

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About the Author:

Lebogang Victor Ditsebe, a 2018 Activator from Kimberley, Northern Cape, is passionate about social justice and climate change mitigation and adaptation. He actively raises awareness on these issues and is a member of the Writers, as well as a participant in the Civic Education Programme with ACTIVATE Change Driver.

State of the Nation Address: What’s in It for South Africans – or More Empty Promises?

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