Mixed Expectations for SONA 2026

Ramaphosa faces mounting pressure as he tries to balance national hardships at SONA

Mpho Sekharume

President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to deliver the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow, Thursday, 12 February, at the Cape Town City Hall.

This annual overview serves as a critical national milestone for the President to reflect on progress, highlight key achievements, and flag ongoing challenges while outlining the government’s policy direction for the year ahead.

As the President prepares to mobilise all sectors of society toward national development, the address arrives at a time of significant domestic pressure regarding economic recovery and the resilience of the country's democratic system.

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) expects this year’s address to reflect a decisive shift from mere commitments to actual implementation.

Marking 30 years of organised local government and the Constitution, SALGA anticipates that the President will reaffirm the central role of municipalities in national development.

“Communities expect to see results from the previous commitments made by the 7th Administration. This year's address needs to go beyond diagnosis and deliver a clear roadmap for implementation, including funding commitment,” said SALGA President Bheki Stofile.

“Local government is ready to partner with national and provincial counterparts to turn policy into progress,” he added.

However, the African Transformation Movement (ATM) has raised urgent concerns regarding the worsening living conditions of millions of South Africans, arguing that the Government of National Unity (GNU) has failed to fulfil its promises.

The ATM claims that while the government touts minor economic recoveries, such as a 0.5% GDP growth in Q3 2025 and a recent credit rating upgrade, these statistics have little real impact on the average citizen.

The party further highlights that economic recovery has largely bypassed the struggling majority, especially the approximately 23.2 million people living below the poverty line who continue to face soaring living costs and stagnant wages.

A major point of contention heading into the address is the recently approved electricity tariff hikes, set at 8.76% for 2026/27 and 8.83% for 2027/28.

The ATM describes these increases as a burden on the vulnerable, arguing that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has failed to protect citizens from excessive costs that force households to choose between electricity and essential needs like food and healthcare.

SALGA also emphasises that this SONA must reaffirm the importance of investing in critical infrastructure maintenance to ensure stable water supply and reliable electricity, while outlining concrete steps to professionalise the sector and root out maladministration at the local level.

In addition to economic concerns, the ATM remains critical of the government's efforts to combat corruption, asserting that despite passing legislation like the Public Procurement Act and implementing mandatory lifestyle audits, genuine progress remains elusive.

The party maintains that corruption within state-owned enterprises continues to erode public trust and drain resources, suggesting that without meaningful accountability and transparency, these legislative measures serve merely as window dressing.

As President Ramaphosa takes to the podium at 19:00 tomorrow, he faces the difficult task of balancing the official narrative of national progress with the stark realities of hardship and systemic failure reported by opposition and local government bodies.