From the very beginning of his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa made a bold statement: “We will not be bullied.”
While he didn’t mention names, those keeping up with global politics would recognise the subtle reference to recent tensions between South Africa and US President Donald Trump.
“In the face of these challenges, we are witnessing the rise of nationalism and protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests and the decline of common cause.
“This is the world that we, as a developing economy, must now navigate. But we are not daunted. We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people. We will not be bullied,” he said.
With those words, Ramaphosa set the tone for a speech that was as much about South Africa’s independence on the world stage as it was about the country’s domestic challenges.
SONA 2025: YES, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LAND REFORM
Since it has been perhaps the most topical South African issue on an international front, one of the key points in the president’s address was land reform.
He spoke about South Africa’s long history of land dispossession, acknowledging the need for transformation.
And while land reform is a topic that deeply affects millions of South Africans, Ramphosa was sure to see that his speech was more aimed at an international audience—perhaps investors or political allies, than South Africans themselves.
Ramaphosa used SONA 2025 to reinforce the idea that land should be shared among those who work it.
“The Freedom Charter is the cornerstone of our democratic Constitution. It sets out a vision of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. It sets out a vision of a country in which government is founded on the will of the people, where the land is shared among those who work it, where the people share in the country’s wealth, and all are equal before the law,” he said.
But there were no big announcements or details on how or when government would be carrying out its plans to implement the Expropriation Act.
US FUNDING CUTS: A CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Despite this jab, the president still stayed focused on what was the more urgent and pressing issue: the United States’ decision to suspend funding for HIV and TB programmes in African countries for 90 days.
He explained that this funding makes up about 17% of South Africa’s HIV response, and the sudden suspension could impact millions who rely on treatment.
While he acknowledged that South Africa has managed to fund its own programmes, he made it clear that his government was looking at ways to keep essential services running despite the cuts.
