President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2025 outlined his administration’s priorities for the year, with a focus on economic growth, energy security, infrastructure development, public service efficiency, and crime prevention.
SONA 2025: Key takeouts from Ramaphosa’s speech
Delivering the speech at Cape Town City Hall, the president acknowledged the challenges facing the country but said the government’s policies were showing results.
“Over the past year, we have seen encouraging signs of progress. Loadshedding has eased, job creation has improved, and investment in key sectors is increasing. But we know there is still much to be done,” he said.
The president reiterated that his government’s work would be anchored on three strategic priorities: fostering inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and inequality, and building a capable and ethical state.
He also announced major policy interventions across multiple sectors, including energy, water, housing, crime, and employment, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to service delivery and governance reforms.
Here are the promises Ramaphosa made for this year
Energy and Eskom reforms
With electricity supply remaining a top concern, Ramaphosa said that major reforms in the energy sector were underway.
He confirmed that the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act, which came into effect in January, would open the market to multiple suppliers to ease reliance on Eskom.
“For the first time in our history, we are creating a competitive electricity market where independent producers can supply directly to the grid. This will diversify our energy mix and improve long-term stability,” he said.
The government is also allowing private sector investment in the transmission network, with funding secured to expand renewable energy projects.
Ramaphosa said that $13 billion had been raised for clean energy initiatives through the Just Energy Transition plan.
Infrastructure and public services
Infrastructure development featured prominently in the president’s address, with a R940 billion investment plan set to roll out over the next three years.
“This includes critical upgrades to roads, bridges, ports, rail networks, and water supply systems that will support economic growth,” he said.
On municipal services, he acknowledged that many towns and cities were struggling with failing infrastructure.
To address this, the government will establish professionally managed utilities for water and electricity distribution, aimed at improving service delivery at the local level.
A National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency will also be launched within the year to oversee large-scale water projects, including the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 and the uMkhomazi Dam.
Job creation and economic growth
Ramaphosa said his administration would intensify efforts to create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
“The Presidential Employment Stimulus has already provided 2.2 million work opportunities, and we will continue expanding this initiative,” he said.
Additionally, a R20 billion transformation fund will be introduced to support black-owned businesses and small enterprises. This will be coupled with new public procurement regulations to ensure that more government contracts go to women, youth, and disabled entrepreneurs.
To attract foreign investment and boost tourism, Ramaphosa announced the launch of a new Electronic Travel Authorisation system, which will allow digital visa applications and help reduce backlogs in the system.
Crime and corruption crackdown
Crime and corruption were also key themes in the address, with the president vowing to strengthen law enforcement agencies and expand investigative capacity.
“We are deploying an additional 4,000 detectives to bolster crime-fighting efforts, particularly against gun violence and organised crime,” he said.
To combat state corruption, the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption will be expanded, and a new digital forensics lab will be established to handle financial crimes.
Additionally, a Whistleblower Protections Bill will be tabled in Parliament to safeguard those who expose wrongdoing.
Housing and public transport
On the issue of housing, Ramaphosa acknowledged concerns over urban development and affordable accommodation.
“We will provide 300,000 serviced stands for home construction and reclaim hijacked buildings in city centres for social housing,” he said.
In public transport, he announced that over 80% of commuter rail corridors had been restored, with 200 new locally produced trains deployed to improve PRASA’s network.
The road ahead
With a broad set of policy commitments, Ramaphosa assured South Africans that his administration was focused on action rather than promises.
However, the effectiveness of these measures will depend on implementation and oversight.
The president’s address set the stage for parliamentary debates in the coming days, where opposition parties are expected to challenge his administration’s track record.
The National Budget Speech later this month will provide further details on how these policies will be funded.
