President Ramaphosa tells a good story while the country collapses

Freedom Front Plus leader, Dr. Corné Mulder, said President Cyril Ramaphosa, like his predecessor, Jacob Zuma, tries to tell a good story while the country collapses.

Ramaphosa delivered his latest State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of the two Houses of Parliament on Thursday, 12 February 2026.

His speech promoted a strategic vision for South Africa, framing the current era as a pivotal turning point toward national prosperity.

He provided plans to revitalise South Africa’s economy, create jobs, and modernise essential infrastructure.

Ramaphosa also announced interventions to combat organised crime and corruption alongside urgent reforms to address the critical water and energy crises.

He further said the government will enhance education, healthcare, and social protection to ensure inclusive growth for all citizens.

This speech aligned with Ramaphosa’s previous State of the Nation Addresses, which painted a rosy picture for South Africa.

Mulder was not impressed, saying Ramaphosa borrowed a page from former President Jacob Zuma’s 2014 State of the Nation Address.

He said wherever Ramaphosa’s party, the ANC, governs, including councils, provinces and metros, the reality tells a bad story.

He cited the water crisis in Johannesburg, South Africa’s richest city, where thousands of households do not have water.

“After years of government intervention in failed municipalities brought about no improvement, the President’s remarks on this matter lack conviction,” Mulder said.

“It merely demonstrates how out of touch Ramaphosa is with reality. The truth is that South Africa’s economy and society are in deep crisis.”

Mulder said South Africa’s economy had ground to a halt a long time ago, and growth is far below the 3% to 5% needed to combat unemployment.

He attributed this to harmful policies such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which drives away investors and undermines job creation.

Unemployment has climbed to record-high levels, with an official figure of 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025, which is expected to rise to 32% in 2026.

Youth unemployment stands at 44%, leaving millions of young people without hope for a better future.

“This crisis is exacerbated by an unbridled influx of illegal immigrants across the country’s porous borders,” he said.

More and more municipalities are collapsing, with more than 250 facing serious debt problems.

Eskom debt already exceeds R100 billion, service delivery is grinding to a halt, while residents suffer the consequences of failing infrastructure and corruption.

On the international front, South Africa’s relations with the United States reached an all-time low.

The Trump administration boycotted the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg and did not invite South Africa to the 2026 Summit.

At the same time, South Africa is openly hostile towards Israel, one of America’s largest allies.

“The widespread incidence of foot-and-mouth disease illustrates the government’s utter ineptitude,” Mulder said.

“It failed to contain the initial outbreak, and the epidemic has developed into one of the biggest agricultural crises in the country’s history.”

 Mulder said the Freedom Front Plus would have liked to hear that South Africa will reposition itself in a rapidly changing geopolitical world.

It also wants urgent, tangible steps against foot-and-mouth disease and to eradicate corruption within the police force.

Mulder added that the government must show that it is willing to move away from Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).

However, none of these expectations were met.

“The President’s evocation of struggle symbolism to open his speech served as the prelude to yet another attempt to gloss over the ANC’s failures,” he said.