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Fireworks expected in Sona debate

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The DA, IFP, UDM, ATM (African Transformation Movement) and other parties have accused Ramaphosa of not fixing the economy, fighting crime and dealing with load shedding.

President Cyril Ramaphosa during his reply to the Sona debate in 2020. Picture: Cindy Waxa

FIREWORKS are expected today when Parliament debates President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address.

Opposition parties have already fired the first shots after they warned that the speech lacked commitment on jobs and fighting crime.

EFF leader Julius Malema said Ramaphosa had shifted his responsibility of creating jobs to the private sector.

This was after Ramaphosa told the nation on Thursday, that the private sector creates 80% of jobs and the government creates an enabling environment for jobs.

However, Ramaphosa said he was shaking the security cluster.

This was after the expert panel report, chaired by Professor Sandy Africa, found that there was intelligence failure and lack of action from the SAPS to contain the July unrest.

Some of the key posts in the intelligence services have also been left vacant and need to be filled.

“The expert panel found that Cabinet must take overall responsibility for the events of July 2021. This is a responsibility that we acknowledge and accept. We will, as recommended by the panel, develop and drive a national response plan to address the weaknesses that the panel has identified.

“We will begin immediately by filling critical vacancies and addressing positions affected by suspensions in the State Security Agency and Crime Intelligence. We will soon be announcing leadership changes in a number of security agencies to strengthen our security structures,” Ramaphosa said.

The DA, IFP, UDM, ATM (African Transformation Movement) and other parties also accused Ramaphosa of not fixing the economy, fighting crime and dealing with load shedding.

Eskom has over the last few years battled load shedding and the government had split the power utility into three entities for generation, distribution and transmission.

Business has warned that load shedding has cost it billions of rand.

POLITICAL BUREAU

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