Everyone born after democracy is a true Tintswalo, says Ramaphosa in SONA debate reply

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa said that MPs who participated in this week’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate could not refute the reality that millions had benefitted from African National Congress (ANC) policies in the last 30 years.

He added that everyone born in democracy was a Tintswalo, whether they like it or not.

Ramaphosa was responding to this week’s two-day debate into his State of the Nation Address, which he delivered a week ago.

He also used his reply to acknowledge his administration’s failures.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was back on the podium on Thursday to respond to criticisms of his SONA speech.

He said that during the debate, he noted how Tintswalo came under attack from certain quarters.

"Continuing with the story of Tintswalo, where a number of people have hurled insults at a Tintswalo." 

But he said that many were in denial of the Tintswalo status despite benefitting from ANC policies.

"Now everyone who would have been born after our democracy is a true Tintswalo, whether they like it or not. They are Tintswalos."

On his government’s performance, Ramaphosa said that over the last five years, they had made great advances in tackling things like corruption, saying that the ANC has also provided 4.7 million houses to South Africans.