COSATU expects Ramaphosa's SONA to introduce interventions to tackle SA's many challenges

CAPE TOWN - While analysts don’t expect President Cyril Ramaphosa to make bold promises in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night, trade union federation, COSATU, has high hopes. 

It says the challenges facing workers, society, economy and the nation are immense and demand attention. 

With unemployment at 41%, COSATU says it expects Ramaphosa to respond with a clear set of interventions and deadlines to turn things around. 

Cosatu’s parliamentary representative, Matthew Parks: "What we need to see emerging from the State of the Nation Address is a sense that government understands the challenges and has clear plans to turn them around, and a real sense of timeframes and accountability. What we can’t afford is a business as usual approach."

COSATU says society has the right to demand more from government, which is funded through their wages and taxes. 

Parks says the union is frustrated by the pace at which the country’s numerous socio-economic challenges are being resolved. 

"We must and we do acknowledge real progress has been made by government and society since the last SONA, including reducing the unemployment rate by 5%, significant progress in less load shedding and a debt relief package for Eskom."