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File: President Cyril Ramaphosa delivering SONA.
The Senior Researcher at the Southern African Liaison Office, Lwazi Somya, says this year’s State of the Nation Address comes at a critical moment, as South Africa heads into local government elections under the Government of National Unity.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 12.
🇿🇦 President @CyrilRamaphosa will deliver the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces at Cape Town City Hall on 12 February 2026 at 19:00.#SONA2026 #AWorkingNation #GovZAUpdates pic.twitter.com/ZFiLH6F5Mx
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) February 8, 2026
Somya says the President must provide a clear direction to stabilise municipalities, address corruption and declining service delivery.
SONA is anticipated to not only reflect on government promises from the last year, but also outline new priorities for the coming year at the opening of Parliament.
Somya adds that the President enters SONA facing challenges on multiple fronts.
“So President Cyril Ramaphosa not only has to project a level of certainty, but needs to provide direction both to local municipalities, provincial governments, the markets, along with the international community, on what are the priorities for the South African government in the coming year, and what are the medium-term priorities that will set South Africa on the front foot in terms of creating jobs, growing the economy, and along with dealing with issues around corruption, maladministration, as we have seen in these various commissions of inquiry, and along with the investigations happening at not only at a security level, but at the state administrative level.”
VIDEO | SONA 2026 delivered ahead of local elections:
