Tackling President Ramaphosa’s SONA speech

The whole country anticipated to hear what the president would say in his State of The Nation Address (SONA) on February 13.

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) welcomed the news that it will have its university.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said they have decided to establish a new university of science and innovation in Ekurhuleni because it is the only metro in the country that does not have a university.

“This will enable young people in the metro to be trained in high-impact and cutting-edge technological innovation for current and future industries,” he said.

These were joyous remarks to the ears of many like Khanyisile Nkosi who resides in Thembisa, currently in Grade 12 and would like to study for a diploma in Information Technology in software development after matric.

“This provides an opportunity for me and other students to study closer to home without having to cross provinces, technology is taking over and every device will soon need a software. I will be working towards my dream of one day creating my own social media app,” said Nkosi.

The president continued in his address to also condemned the abuse and violence against women.

“Over the last six months, the nation has been galvanised across communities, government, civil society, religious groupings, the judiciary and parliament to end the crisis of violence perpetrated by men against women,” he said.

“We will amend the Domestic Violence Act to better protect victims in violent domestic relationships and the Sexual Offences Act to broaden the categories of sex offenders whose names must be included in the National Register for Sex Offenders, and we will pass a law to tighten bail and sentencing condition in cases that involve gender-based violence.”

The community, including Monica VanRooyen from the Department of Community Safety and Col Rose Mokoena, provincial coordinator of Women as Safety Promoters and Thembisa South Police, has welcomed the president’s announcement.

VanRooyen said they welcome the president’s remarks as they will continue to workshop the community against women abuse.

“The law must be firm to the perpetrators, which in most cases are men. We are also saying men should join more campaigns that fight against abuse of children and women to set good example on the young boys,” said VanRooyen.

Mokoena added that in most cases, you find the victim withdrawing their case at the police station only to get victimised again.

“With the law on our side, we can arrest the perpetrators knowing that they will face the law and justice will be served, and with bail conditions tightening, victims can report such cases with confidence that the perpetrator won’t get bail easily,” said Mokoena.

The president admitted that the country is confronted by the crisis of youth unemployment. Of the 1.2-million young people who enter the labour market each year, approximately two thirds remain outside of employment, education or training.

Regarding youth employment, the president said as from February 13, they began the implementation of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, six priority actions over the next five years to reduce youth unemployment.

In addition he introduced the SheTradesZA platform to assist women-owned businesses to participate in global-value chains and markets.

The Thembisan took to the streets to hear what people thought about the president’s SONA speech. To read more about the SONA, please visit our website at www.tembisan.co.za or follow the link: tembisan.co.za/100052/sona2020-8-highlights-president-cyril-ramaphosas-sona-speech/.