The state of the nation address is one of our most
significant speeches in our country. The address in my view cannot address the country’s
underlying problems and cannot for that matter, address all solutions to the
problems the country face.
It must however, give us an indication that, the President
and his government have full grasp of the problems of our country and the
challenges the citizens face. It must further, assure us, that The President
and his government have an understanding on how those problems and challenges
can be solved.
In my View, SONA must not be like some midnight story, with
the main intention to put the country to sleep, with a few unrealistic
promises.
The state of the nation address must fully report on the
progress on some of the promises in 2011 without it been just a report card.
The SONA must go ahead and boldly make ground breaking statements that seek to
put the country to work.
Before the President can make his promises for 2012, he must
briefly let us in on his total vision of the country, how this vision has
progressed. We will be closely observing if SONA has within its Soul some of
the expressions and goals of the planning commission.
In my view, the greatest achievement of the SONA will be
some guts, boldness and chutzpa in instilling the sense of nation wood among
South Africans. It would succeed it can boldly call for the culture change
within our citizens cutting across class, the culture of selflessness
contribution to our country.
If the president can call for less extravagance among the
elite, call for all to stand up and do something for the country and for those
who are already doing something to benchmark themselves among the best in the
world.
If from this SONA South Africans can be inspired to build a
country that would compete with the best in the world, the best being USA,
China, and European countries and maybe be even better than these countries in
terms of its moral and economic supremacy.
Greatness begins from consciousness, and this consciousness
can begin with this SONA. South Africans in general are consumption conscious and
not selfless contribution conscious. We are more of what’s in it for me than,
how is my country benefiting from me and my actions. This is the greatest root
of corruption, cultural crisis. The government in itself can never be able to
succeed in fighting corruption, but government can succeed in planting a
culture that will give birth to the society that just can’t tolerate corruption
and the corrupt.
I therefore wish for the following in the SONA:
1.
PROGRESS ON THE SONA 2011 PROMISES
A country which can’t keep promises, it’s a country that can’t
be trusted and I hope that, the president will address some of the concerns
from DA in parliament pertaining the unfulfilled promises. The DA released a
statement that identified ten key broken promises which the President has not
kept in 2011. The President must address any broken promise made.
We also need to know the progress on R9 billion 3 year Job
fund, as next year is its last year, what was its impact so far?
In 2011, the President identified six priority areas where
jobs can be created and that is infrastructure development, agriculture,
mining, and beneficiation, manufacturing, the green economy and tourism. The
President must advise us if indeed this priority areas did deliver and if not,
what needs to be done, or what other job creation areas where overlooked and are
now going to be fully exploited. In 2011 the President announced that,
government will spend R2,6 billion in Limpopo, KZN and Eastern Cape on water services and this was to be done in
2011, was it done, if not, where is the money? Can that money be used to
achieve the same goal this year?
One of the most important promises for me was that, Students
in further education and training colleges who qualify for financial aid will
be exempt from paying fees. Was this promise implemented? And how are the
outcomes.
The President further promised to revitalise 105 nursing colleges
country wide, to train more nurses. How many of the colleges were revitalised
and how many nursing students were trained?
One other thing is that, the year ahead must be lived as per
spirit of the SONA, one of the most disappointing acts of the President of the
country and the ruling party elite was that, after the 2011 SONA which had
assured the courts and the media space to function, attacked both the courts
and the media against the spirit of the SONA. In the SONA, the President said:
Our courts continue to function better. But in the course of 2011 after the
SONA, he indicated that, Courts were playing ball with the opposition implying
that, the courts were untie the ruling party, these stance was repeated by the
Secretary general of the ANC.
It is important that, the President makes promises that he
has both the Capacity and the Ability to achieve.
2.
THE PRESIDENT MUST SET THE TONE FOR THE FUTURE
OF SOUTH AFRICA
I would be encouraged if the President remained unapologetic
about the future of SA, in relation to its people, SADC, Africa and the World.
It must be clear that, South Africa has within its plan, to
lead Africa to economic supremacy. South Africa must indicate and announces its
plan not only to be the super power in Africa, but the World’s economic super
power.
A bold and unapologetic statement about this particular goal
must be made and all South Africans must elevate their thinking to the level of
that statement. It was important that South Africa used this goal arrogantly to
rally the entire South Africa across race, gender and class behind this goal.
Without a public commitment to this effect, it was
impossible for South Africans to be conscious of their duty to measure
themselves against the best in the world and resolve to always come tops.
Once this is clarified the President can set to South Africa
what South Africa expect from a South African at par with this vision in 2012,
and goals to be achieved in 2012 can be set in alignment to this goal.
Extravagance by the elite must be discouraged and selfless
service must be emphasized. It must be made clear that, all South Africans
regardless of their economic situation, had a duty to contribute to make South
Africa the leading country in the world.
3.
RE-EMPHISES VALUES THAT MADE THE STRUGGLE FOR
APARTHEID A SUCCESS
It was crucial that, the values that drove those who were
involved in the struggle are emphasised and the adoption of some of this values
by post-apartheid South Africa encouraged. The New values in alignment to our
current challenges must be articulated.
4.
THE PRESIDENT MUST ASSURE US THAT HE UNDERSTANDS
SOUTH AFRICA AND ITS PEOPLE
I have come to be impressed by The President of ANC’s
indication that, he understand the ANC and has his finger at every pulse of the
ANC.
I’m not yet convinced that, the President of the country
understand the country and its people and I’m not convinced that, The President
of the country has his finger on every pulse of the country.
What I hope this SONA will achieve is that, it would expose
the President as someone who understand South Africa and its people. He must
assure us that he knows both the opportunities and challenges that South Africans
and South Africa faces in business, socially, in education, health, economy etc.,
the aspirations and frustrations of South Africans.
Most importantly, does the President know what his role is
in a complex country like South Africa; does he know the roles of all the
players of our constitutional democracy?
Good Luck, President
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