PODCAST | Is the State of the Nation Address just an empty ritual? Should we abolish it?

17 February 2022 - 18:55
Does President Cyril Ramaphosa enact commissions and investigating bodies to avoid taking responsibility for decisions?
Does President Cyril Ramaphosa enact commissions and investigating bodies to avoid taking responsibility for decisions?
Image: Esa Alexander

In this week's episode of Sunday Times Politics Weekly we are reflecting on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address, and asking if we need to maintain an event that seems to be nothing more than a political ritual.

Our host Mike Siluma is joined by Unisa political lecturer Dr Dirk Kotze and associate professor with the School of Governance at Wits University, William Gumede. The panel concludes that the vision is there politically, but the state simply does not have capacity. They also find that Ramaphosa strategically avoids direct rule or declarations to avoid putting his head on the political chopping block. 

Join the discussion here: 

For more episodes, click here.

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