Little to show for promises, commitments made in 2025

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his ninth State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Cape Town last night.

- Jarryd Westerdale

Expectations suggested more words of encouragement about the country's persistent societal challenges, but South Africans have yet to see tangible results.

Opponents and allies made their demands known, calling for more concrete actions over plans and platitudes.

Here are some highlights from Ramaphosa's 2025 Sona and how the issues evolved over the next 12 months.

Ramaphosa opened his 2025 speech with a tribute to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo a few weeks prior.

“They lost their lives not in pursuit of resources, territory of power, but they lost their lives so that the guns on our continent may be forever silenced.

“We salute our gallant soldiers,” Ramaphosa said.

A year on, the SANDF has withdrawn from its involvement in the DRC as part of the United Nations peacekeeping efforts.

The Presidency said this weekend the decision was “influenced by the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the SANDF”.

The theme of last year's Sona was “a nation that works for all”.