Opposition parties want Ramaphosa to outline practical steps to address unemployment, rising cost of living in SONA

CAPE TOWN - Opposition parties want President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address (SONA) to provide practical steps to address the rising cost of living and the unemployment crisis.

But parties like the Freedom Front Plus fear that any major announcements on matters, like economic growth, will be nothing more than "hollow words".

The Democratic Alliance (DA), meanwhile, said that Ramaphosa must also address the high fuel price when he delivers the last SONA of his term.

Being an election year, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to do a bit of electioneering.

But Freedom Front Plus leader, Pieter Groenewald, said he did not expect any significant announcements on things like economic growth.

He said that should he make any such announcements, it would be no more than "hollow words loaded with rhetoric and propaganda".

Kevin Mileham, the DA's mineral resources and energy spokesperson, said that the cost of living should be a priority.

"President Cyril Ramaphosa must use his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, 8 February 2024, to outline practical steps that his government will be taking to cushion consumers from the constantly rising cost of living, especially the cost of fuel."

He said Ramaphosa should "show leadership" and use his SONA address to provide urgent relief to struggling consumers.