SONA 2025: GNU partners expecting Ramaphosa to touch on statement of intent priorities

CAPE TOWN - Government of National Unity (GNU) partners expect President Cyril Ramaphosa to tell the nation how he plans to implement the priorities they agreed upon when they signed the statement of intent. 

This will be Ramaphosa’s ninth State of the Nation Address (SONA), but the first of a coalition government after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in 2024.

The Good Party said it’s time for parties to draw a line in the sand on challenging legislation that was passed by the sixth administration.  

The GNU is still at loggerheads on key legislation passed by the former government, including the National Health Insurance and the Expropriation Acts.

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Good Party’s Secretary General Brett Herron said the GNU shouldn’t undermine legislation passed by a former administration. 

“To raise issues that were already passed by Parliament, adopted under a different electoral mandate is a dangerous precedent because how far back do we go when we start unpacking policies and legislation that was approved by a majority government that had an electoral mandate?”

The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Dean Macpherson, the Public Works Minister, is caught between a rock and a hard place, with his party opposing the Expropriation Act that he will have to implement. 

“I’m hoping there’s going to be some acknowledgement of the reset that needs to be taking place as well as the wonderful infrastructure plans that we have, the eight pathways to new infrastructure development.”

Ramaphosa was still engaged in last-minute consultations with his Cabinet on Thursday afternoon, before putting the final touches to his speech.