South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to deliver his state of the nation address on Thursday, in what analysts are calling a crucial speech in an election year.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is at risk of losing its parliamentary majority for the first time, and Ramaphosa must rally support for the scandal-hit party. This will be the third time Ramaphosa has given the address in Cape Town City Hall, after the parliament was damaged by arson in 2022. It is expected to be a campaigning speech, focusing on domestic issues, as Ramaphosa has had limited domestic success since taking office in 2018.
However, he has made an impact on the international stage, with South Africa’s involvement in landmark rulings by the International Court of Justice and hosting the BRICS summit with leading emerging economies.
The address comes ahead of the announcement of the date for the national and provincial elections, which are expected to take place between May and August. Polls suggest that support for the ANC could be as low as 40%, meaning the party may need to form a coalition government to retain power.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is expected to win between 19% and 31% of the votes and has formed a coalition with other groups to challenge the ANC.
Additionally, former President Jacob Zuma is promoting a breakaway party, which could further impact ANC support. Ramaphosa remains confident, claiming that the ANC will come back with a bang in the elections.
As an important stepping stone for the upcoming election, the state of the nation address will likely focus on Ramaphosa’s international achievements, which have become less important in previous years.
