Business Unity South Africa SONA’s expectations

7 February 2024

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his SONA speech tomorrow. Here is a list of expectations from the business community:

1. A clear acknowledgement from the President of the partnership between government and business on Energy, Logistics and Crime and Corruption.

2. On the back of this, a clear indication that government and the private sector must collaborate to address the crises in SA.

3. A commitment from government to open up space for greater participation by the private sector in building, operating, and maintaining critical logistics networks and to generate energy. There is some progress in this, particularly in Energy and also in Logistics, with the recent announcement that Transnet Freight Rail taking delivery of seven sets of batteries procured by Richards Bay Coal Terminal. This is an example of partnerships between business and government working.

4. A clear commitment to ensure that critical pieces of legislation, like the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill will be processed with speed. This is part of a broader commitment to consider legislation that promotes partnerships between the public and private sector in order to enable the private sector to assist government to build its capacity to be an enabling government and deliver critical priorities.

5. An indication that municipal government will be prioritised, with a view to enabling political and administrative structures that focus on service delivery and infrastructure, moving away from the current shambles caused by political fighting.

6. A further commitment to deal decisively with corruption, bring people to account and ensure prosecutions.

Issued by Cas Coovadia, CEO, Business Unity SA, 7 February 2024