SONA: Key points

12 February 2021

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address in Parliament starting his address noting the 31st anniversary of former President Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.

Here are some of the main highlights from Ramaphosa’s speech:

South Africa expects nine million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine programme, which has shown to be effective against the 501Y.V2 variant.

In the third quarter of 2020, our economy was 6% percent smaller than it was in the last quarter of 2019.

Overarching legislation for state-owned companies will be tabled in Cabinet this financial year and Parliament in the next the financial year. A centralised SOE model is being implemented this financial year, which will ensure a standardised governance, financial management and operational performance framework for all SOEs and the mandates of all SOEs are being re-evaluated to ensure that they are responsive to the country’s needs and the implementation of the National Development Plan.

There were 1.7 million fewer people employed in the third quarter of 2020 than there were in the first quarter, before the pandemic struck.

Progress is being made on several major water infrastructure projects. These include Phase 2A of the Mokolo and Crocodile River project, and the uMkhomazi Water Project. The Infrastructure Investment Plan identifies roads projects worth R19 billion covering the spine of the South African road network.

Resources have been committed from the fiscus to support the construction and rehabilitation of the major N1, N2, and N3 highways.

Ramaphosa said a priority for this year to regain lost time and improve educational outcomes. He also said more effort will be made to intensify prevention efforts and strengthening SA’s health system

Special Covid-19 Grant of R350 has been extended by a further three months and to extend the Covid-19 TERS benefit until 15 March 2021 only for those sectors that have not been able to operate.

Adapted from original source: IOL

LT