Malema calls Ramaphosa’s SONA an election rally in disguise
The red berets didn’t wait long to respond.
Within hours of President Cyril Ramaphosa wrapping up his 2026 State of the Nation Address, Julius Malema stepped up to the microphones with a blunt assessment: this wasn’t just a policy speech it was the launch of a political campaign.
Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said the president delivered his address with unusual energy. But beneath the enthusiasm, he argued, were familiar promises dressed up for an election year.
Army deployment welcomed, but seen as a failure of police
One announcement did win rare approval from the EFF benches: the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to parts of the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Ramaphosa revealed during SONA that soldiers would assist police in combating gang violence and illegal mining two crises that have gripped townships and inner-city communities.
Malema said the move was necessary, but framed it as an indictment of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
He argued that bringing in the army was an implicit admission that the police have failed to contain gangsterism and organised crime. In many townships, he said, gangs effectively control the streets.
For residents living in areas plagued by shootings or abandoned mining shafts, the politics matter less than results. On social media, some South Africans echoed Malema’s sentiment that the military’s involvement reflects deep cracks in policing. Others welcomed the intervention outright, saying communities have waited too long for decisive action.
Promises on water and jobs under scrutiny
Ramaphosa’s speech covered more than crime. He spoke of hiring 10,000 additional labour inspectors to crack down on employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals. He outlined plans for a national water infrastructure agency and confirmed that damaged systems are being repaired.
Government has committed R156 billion over the next three years toward construction and water resource infrastructure.
But Malema was unimpressed.
He questioned the credibility of large funding announcements, pointing to past projects, including the long-troubled Giyani Water Project where billions were allocated yet communities still struggled for reliable water.
To him, talk of trillions and billions means little without visible change on the ground.
He also criticised the president’s reliance on task teams, arguing that repeatedly forming new structures signals an inability to execute through existing departments. In his view, it reflects weakness within the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Other parties strike a different tone
Not all opposition leaders shared the EFF’s combative stance.
Mkhuleko Hlengwa of the Inkatha Freedom Party described the speech as balanced, noting that it reflected the realities of governing within the GNU framework.
He welcomed the focus on illegal immigration and its economic impact, as well as the SANDF deployment, though he too acknowledged that it signals serious challenges within SAPS. Hlengwa added that if a national state of disaster were declared over water crises, it should be backed swiftly with resources and expertise.
Meanwhile, John Steenhuisen, who also serves as Agriculture Minister and leads the Democratic Alliance (DA), shifted attention to agriculture. He highlighted efforts to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease, saying millions of vaccines are being procured, with the goal of vaccinating about 80% of the targeted herd by year-end and reducing outbreaks significantly.
Election season undertones
South Africa is heading toward local government elections, and the political temperature is rising.
Malema’s accusation that Ramaphosa used a government platform to launch a campaign for his party taps into a broader scepticism among voters. Many South Africans have grown wary of SONA speeches that outline ambitious plans but struggle in implementation.
At the same time, governing in a GNU presents its own complications. Coalition politics require compromise and shared messaging something still relatively new at national level.
Ramaphosa’s address attempted to project momentum: soldiers on the streets, inspectors in workplaces, billions for water and infrastructure. Malema’s rebuttal, however, reframed that momentum as theatre.
For ordinary citizens, especially those in gang-affected communities or municipalities battling water shortages, the debate feels urgent. Is this the beginning of decisive action or simply election-season rhetoric?
The coming months will offer clarity. If soldiers restore calm, if taps run consistently, if inspectors hold employers accountable, the narrative may shift.
Until then, the battle over SONA 2026 will not only be about policy, but perception.
Source: Joburg ETC
Featured Image: X{@SihleLonzi}
