{"id":73055,"date":"2024-02-07T12:35:51","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T12:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artikels.afriforum.co.za\/?p=73055"},"modified":"2024-02-07T12:35:53","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T12:35:53","slug":"sona-2024-afriforum-underscores-ramaphosa-administrations-failure-to-fulfil-2023-sona-promises-champions-alternative-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artikels.afriforum.co.za\/en\/sona-2024-afriforum-underscores-ramaphosa-administrations-failure-to-fulfil-2023-sona-promises-champions-alternative-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"SONA 2024: AfriForum underscores Ramaphosa administration\u2019s failure to fulfil 2023 SONA promises; champions alternative solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the run-up to the 2024 elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa\u2019s State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow, will certainly be promise-laden. This is despite the fact that not much of last year\u2019s promises materialised. On the eve of this year\u2019s SONA, AfriForum, therefore, reviews these promises, sheds light on the realities, and provides alternative solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2023\u2019s SONA, the president emphasised that the government is \u201cfocused\u201d on addressing load shedding, unemployment, poverty and the rising cost of living, crime, corruption, and service delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Electricity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: The government will finally address the power crisis that has been raging since 2007.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: In a previously unprecedented worsening of the power crisis, the country experienced a record 332 days of load shedding in 2023, overshadowing the 205 days recorded in 2022.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: Privatise Eskom or deregulate the energy sector and open up the market for independent power providers with an emphasis on solar power.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: Unemployment will be addressed in 2023.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: Not even a dent has been made in South Africa\u2019s sky-high unemployment rate, which in 2023, according to the broad definition of unemployment (that factors in those who have given up looking for employment), stood at around 42%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: Fix the dysfunctional education system by promoting mother language education and insert an emphasis into the curriculum that will ensure learners and students are transformed into job creators rather than mere job seekers. Additionally, do away with the government\u2019s laundry list of racially discriminatory legislation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Poverty and the rising cost of living<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: The government will fight poverty and the rising cost of living.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: By late 2023, economists deemed South Africa\u2019s rising cost of living as a worsening crisis. The consensus is that the chief factors to blame are South Africa\u2019s fiscal crisis, a weakening rand, and poor governance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: The economy needs less state intervention, not more. Citizens are also overburdened by the government\u2019s exorbitantly high tax rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Crime<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: Make communities safer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: The country\u2019s per capita murder rate for 2022\/2023 was the highest in 20 years at 45 murders per 100&nbsp;000. This is almost 50% higher than the 2012\/2013 rate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: Communities need to organise to protect themselves, within the confines of the law. Therefore, AfriForum has already established 172 neighbourhood and farm watches nationwide, which continue to expand their abilities and successes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Corruption<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: The government will take a tough stance on corruption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: In 2023 South Africa scored the worst it has ever ranked in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: Until there are serious consequences for high-ranking government officials found guilty of corruption, the government\u2019s promises regarding the fight against corruption ring hollow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Service delivery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Promise<\/em>: Improved service delivery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Reality<\/em>: The 2023 Afrobarometer found that South Africans are increasingly dissatisfied with the government\u2019s provision of key public services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>AfriForum\u2019s solution<\/em>: Devolve power to community level. With more than 160 branches nationwide, AfriForum tackles numerous issues regarding service delivery, including refuse removal, water supply problems, clean-up projects, the repair of potholes, the painting of road signs, and many more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Ernst van Zyl, Head of Public Relations at AfriForum, an increasing number of people are writing SONA off as just another opportunity for the government to make empty promises. \u201cMany citizens have realised that the government is either incapable or unwilling to address the problems they face every day. Communities now have to rely on themselves. Therefore, they are turning to alternative solutions,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAn alternative, community-based approach to problem solving does exist. The good news is that this approach has already advanced beyond mere theory and experimentation years ago, and already boasts a solid track record of success stories. AfriForum is one of the organisations taking the lead with these pioneering efforts to achieve decentralisation and return power to the hands of communities, where it belongs,\u201d Van Zyl concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Foto: Wikimedia Commons\/ITU Pictures)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the run-up to the 2024 elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa\u2019s State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow, will certainly 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