Johannesburg – All eyes are on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address, amid the country’s floundering vaccine rollout strategy and the economic hardships visited on families and business by the global pandemic.
ANC alliance partners Cosatu and the SACP have called on Ramaphosa to reintroduce the unemployment grant, relief for businesses and consumers, and to provide a detailed plan for the rollout of the vaccines when he delivers the state of the nation address on Thursday.
The trade union federation also warned that the president should reaffirm the government’s commitment to collective bargaining by honouring wage increase agreements, saying failure to do so could lead to labour instability.
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“Whilst the public service wage bill is not a matter dealt with through SONA, COSATU and workers expect an unequivocal statement and commitment in SONA that the government will abide by the Constitution and Labour Relations Act and respect workers’ rights to collective bargaining. The conduct of the government on the wage bill over the past year is a recipe for labour market strife and instability,” Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said.
Watch the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, deliver his address below:
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More Members of Parliament arriving for President’s State of the Nation Address. #SONA2021 pic.twitter.com/4HcDb2FrZK
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) February 11, 2021
Members of Parliament arriving for the President’s State of the Nation Address to the Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. #SONA2021 pic.twitter.com/jIT0xO7QpT
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) February 11, 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa inspecting the Chamber of the National Assembly ahead of his address to the joint sitting this evening. @PresidencyZA #SONA2021 pic.twitter.com/fHnV0p9YUN
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) February 11, 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa going through his #SONA2021 speech one last time.
Pics: @GCISMedia pic.twitter.com/buEUiHRWZ7
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) February 11, 2021
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