Mapaballo Borotho
It has been a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa made several promises in the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Now, as he prepares to address the nation again in Cape Town on Thursday, the question remains: has the Government of National Unity (GNU) fulfilled all that it promised it would do?
These questions, among many others, will be answered by the President on Thursday. However, this article looks back at some of the commitments made during the 2025 SONA and examines how some of these issues have still not been addressed a year later.
After the African National Congress (ANC) lost its outright majority in 2024 for the first time since the dawn of democracy, it was forced to form a coalition with other parties to govern the country.
During SONA 2025, Ramaphosa said political parties had put their differences aside to serve South Africans.
Economic Growth
The President said part of the GNU’s goal was to drive inclusive growth, create jobs, reduce poverty, and tackle the high cost of living.
“Our most urgent task is to grow our economy so that we can create jobs, reduce poverty, and improve the lives of all South Africans,” said the President.
According to the latest statistics, South Africa continues to grapple with high youth unemployment, with more than 30% of young people currently without jobs.
Although the overall unemployment rate declined slightly to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025 from 33.2% in the previous quarter, labour federation SAFTU says these figures still point to a collapsing economy that continues to burden the poor.
The country’s water crisis
Ramaphosa also said there are actions currently in place to resolve the country’s water woes. However, on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, the City of Tshwane said it was experiencing extensive water pressure and supply challenges across multiple systems due to significantly low inflow from Rand Water.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Rand Water warned that Gauteng residents are consuming water above normal usage, putting a “significant strain” on the utility’s infrastructure. This is despite the fact that Rand Water has, over the previous months, embarked on repairs and maintenance work.
At the same time, Johannesburg residents continue to grapple with water challenges, with Midrand, Melville, Parktown, and other areas being without water for more than seven days.
“It is impossible to live without water, and it is impossible for the economy to grow without water,” said the President.
Despite this commitment, pensioners took to the streets on Wednesday, the day before the 2026 State of the Nation address, to protest over prolonged water outages.
The country’s second pandemic – Gender-Based Violence
Ramaphosa’s government has continued to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV), which the President has described as the country’s second pandemic following Covid-19.
In his 2025 SONA, he said the government would continue to strengthen support for victims of GBV.
“There are now 65 Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country. Out of 52 districts, 44 have GBV shelters. All police stations have victim-friendly services, and another 16 sexual offences courts will be established in the next financial year,” said Ramaphosa.
Last year, GBV was declared a national disaster after scores of women took to the streets to voice their anger over the increasing number of women who lost their lives to the pandemic every day.
According to reports, South Africa’s femicide rate is five times higher than the global average, with the country ranking fourth worldwide for female interpersonal violence deaths in 2016.
Between 2023 and 2024, more than 5,000 women were murdered, marking a 33.8% increase from the previous year. On average, a woman is murdered every three hours, and at least fifteen women are killed daily in South Africa.
The elephant in the room – NHI
Ramaphosa also said the government would proceed with preparatory work for the establishment of the National Health Insurance (NHI), despite opposition from some parties within the GNU.
“The NHI will reduce inequalities in healthcare by ensuring everyone gets fair treatment,” said the President.
However, in an article published by BusinessTech this week, Profmed CEO Craig Comrie said the government’s NHI plans have hit a roadblock.
“While the long-term vision of universal healthcare is widely supported, the practical reality of NHI remains uncertain,” he said.
Comrie added that the healthcare system cannot afford to stagnate, as both public and private sectors are already under pressure that has been building for decades.
President Ramaphosa will deliver his 2026 State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 12 February 2026, where he is expected to address these issues and many other challenges South Africans face on a daily basis.
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