With a water crisis gripping parts of the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his eighth State of the Nation Address (SONA) tonight in Cape Town, laying out government’s priorities for the year ahead.

  • Check out our explainer on the 2026 SONA, and why it matters.

It was part progress report, part campaign speech – and very much a shop window moment in the second year of the Government of National Unity (GNU), with local government elections looming.

Yes, there were wins to highlight: growing investment in renewable energy and some movement in jobs. But for many South Africans – some literally without running water while the speech was underway – the big question was whether this was a turning point or just more well-packaged promises.

If you missed it (or nodded off halfway through), here’s your at-a-glance list of the top takeaways, with some extra reading from our explainer archives if you’d like to know more:

1. Economic growth is “back”

Ramaphosa said South Africa has recorded four consecutive quarters of GDP expansion. Economic growth is improving and unemployment is starting to decline. Crime-fighting and economic reform, he said, are at the centre of government’s agenda.

Read: SA’s turning the corner – no, really!

2. Renewable energy ramp-up

Regulatory changes have unlocked a “massive and growing pipeline” of renewable energy investment. The big headline: by 2030, more than 40% of South Africa’s energy supply is expected to come from cheap, clean renewable sources.

3. Whistle-blowers to get more protection

A Whistle-Blower Protection Bill will be introduced in Parliament. It will criminalise retaliation against whistle-blowers and provide psychosocial, legal and financial support. Procurement systems will also be restructured – with the aim of closing corruption loopholes.

Read: Marius van der Merwe’s murder is a turning point for whistleblower reform

4. Rail and ports turnaround

Government says performance at rail and ports has begun to improve, helping businesses move goods to global markets more efficiently. (Transnet’s recovery arc continues to be a key economic storyline.)

5. Jobs, jobs, jobs

Ramaphosa claimed 2.5 million opportunities have been created through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, targeting women and young people. Government says it will protect vulnerable industries while growing sectors like agriculture, mining, services and the green economy.

6. Crackdown on crime syndicates

Organised crime was labelled the most immediate threat to society and economic development. Intelligence services will be consolidated at the national level to identify syndicates, with hand-picked intervention teams deployed and more tech-driven policing promised.

7. Water crisis response (and R156bn on the table)

To secure water supply long term, government is building new dams and upgrading existing infrastructure. More than R156 billion in public funding is committed over the next three years for water and sanitation infrastructure.
A National Water Crisis Committee – chaired by the president – will coordinate emergency responses.

This comes as parts of Johannesburg and other areas face severe water outages. Ahead of the speech, Ramaphosa instructed the ministers of Water and Sanitation, along with Cooperative Covernance and Traditional affairs, to urgently attend to Johannesburg’s escalating crisis instead of attending SONA.

“There is no silver bullet,” he said, acknowledging both short-term and structural fixes are needed.

Read: Can Zille save Jhb from its water crisis?

8. G20 victory lap

Ramaphosa described last year’s G20 as a success, saying attendees praised South Africa’s leadership. Despite the absence of US President Donald Trump, he said South Africa will not be bullied by any country and that its sovereignty is not negotiable.

Read: G20 wrap: SA delivers a historic summit despite Trump’s snubs

9. Local government under pressure

In an election year for municipalities, Ramaphosa bluntly said water outages reflect a local government system that is not working. Following the Auditor-General’s latest report, government will finalise a white paper on local government reforms aimed at building a more effective system.

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And so concludes SONA 2026. Now comes the hard part: turning policy paragraphs into running water, safer streets and real jobs.

With local government elections approaching, voters will be watching less of the podium — and more of their taps.

Fatima Moosa
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