We need a Radical State of the Nation Address

In resolving the myriad problems that beset our country such as poverty, unemployment, disease, illiteracy, the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) has to signal a major paradigm shift from its predecessors. Just like Mandela's maiden State of The Nation Address was a marked departure from its predecessors, so does Zuma's. It has to be epoch-making.

In responding to the needs of hundreds of thousands of poor working class youth who loiter on the streets unemployed and unemployable, the President has to articulate the provision of Free Higher Education. This should set the tone for the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Higher Education to roll their sleeves and, hastily, implement Free Higher Education.

Our President has to commit the government to the building of Universities in Mpumalanga and in the Northern Cape to decrease the amount of students excluded from Higher Education for lack of space. The President needs to also commit government to the building of more campuses in the already existing Universities and FET's. The State of the Nation Address needs to commit government to the rapid development of the FET sector.

As a cherry on top, the State President needs to shock capital by declaring war on labor brokers and committing government to sniff out these vultures from the face of the South African economy. Property relations and capitalism should not be left untouched either. Now, that would be a truly radical State of the Nation Address.

Statement issued by Mbulelo Mandlana, SASCO President and Lazola Ndamase, Secretary General, February 9 2011

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