Gauteng opposition expects electioneering speech from Lesufi's SOPA

JOHANNESBURG - Opposition parties in Gauteng say they expect Monday night’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) to be an African National Congress (ANC) campaign speech rather than a true reflection of the region.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is set to deliver the final SOPA for the provincial government’s sixth administration.

Opposition parties expect Lesufi to use the event to shine a light on his Nasi Ispani programme that has provided temporary employment to over 40,000 young people.

The parties have called the programme an election gimmick.

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ActionSA provincial chairperson Funzi Ngobeni believes Gauteng is in a worse state now than it was in 2019 when the current government took over.
 
"The reality is that our province is plagued by ongoing load shedding. Our youth, and many other residents of Gauteng, are unemployed. The economy is stagnant, criminals are having a field day, and our economic infrastructure, such as railway lines, has been destroyed."

Economic Freedom Fighters Gauteng spokesperson Dumisani Baleni expects Lesufi to use the bully pulpit as a last-ditch chance to attract voters to the ANC.
 
"We have seen under the ANC, the conditions are becoming worse and worse. There is nothing to expect, you cannot expect a government that has failed for over 20 years to resolve an issue or the question we are faced with as a society."

Lesufi has said he intends to announce more Nasi Ispani jobs in his SOPA.