Zuma has to spell out government priorities - in detail

SONA this evening must reassure investors by providing detail on how the government will turn the economy around. (Image: GCIS)

Zuma will deliver the speech during a joint sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces and it will be broadcast live on radio and television and 50 public viewing areas.

Not only will it be the first speech for Zuma in the new administration following the elections, it will also coincide with the beginning of the second phase of the country's transition, two decades after the first democratic elections.

Last month, Zuma announced members of his new Cabinet, which, he said, would help implement the five-year Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) of government.

This evening, he is expected to give a first indication of government's Programme of Action for the next five years, which will no doubt build from the successes and challenges of his first term in office.

This particular MTSF has been developed using the National Development Plan and the ANC Manifesto for the recent elections. In the new Cabinet, announced on 25 May, some ministries and departments have been reconfigured while others have been expanded to improve capacity.

Since 2009, government has placed its focus on five top priories including fighting crime, improving education and health, rural development and land reform as well as job creation.

The government identified 18 infrastructure projects to take place in the next 10 to 20 years. These were drawn from the 645 projects identified by the PICC Commission. It was estimated the projects would cost R4trn over the next 15 years, and would cover all sectors of the economy including, among others, rail, roads, energy, water infrastructure and telecommunications.

Just recently, he signed the Infrastructure Development Bill into law, now known as the Infrastructure Development Act, which aims to fast-track regulatory decision-making in the delivery of critical infrastructure needed for economic growth and service delivery.

The speech will be aired from 7pm this evening.

Zuma needs to spell it out - in detail

Some commentators meanwhile have suggested that Zuma's SONA must not simply be a rehash of what are viewed as government's achievements, but following South Africa's credit rating downgrading by Standard & Poor to just one notch above junk status, and rating agency Fitch's downgrading to 'negative', Zuma needs to spell out exactly what will be done to turn the economy around - and spell it out in detail.

There is also a need for a coherent set of non-conflicting policies; presently the government and its alliance partners are tending to put out conflicting messages. This has to stop.

This is vital if local and overseas investors are to be reassured the government knows how to handle the economy.

The ANC's Gwede Mantashe has blamed white foreigners for the economy's state, while Reserve Bank Governor says the problems afflicting the SA economy are of our own making.

For more:

• Fitch Revises South Africa's Outlook to Negative; Affirms at 'BBB'
• Zuma must focus on economy
• Cosatu: Zuma's SONA must tackle mining issues
• Faltering economy clouds Zuma's SONA
• What we expect of President Zuma's SONA of June 2014 - COSATU
• Is the Clock Running Out for South Africa?
• Ratings and sense: Stormy seas ahead
• ANC: Foreign forces trying to destabilise SA economy
• SA's bad economy is self-inflicted, says Marcus
• State of the Nation: What should Zuma say?