‘The greatest disrespect’ — Here’s why the EFF wants Ramaphosa to deliver his Sona debate reply in person

The EFF has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to deliver his response to the debate on the state of the nation address (Sona) in person on Wednesday , calling his decision to watch the debate on a virtual platform “a sign of his disrespect for accountability”.

Ramaphosa delivered his address in person in the Cape Town City Hall last week, but was absent from proceedings in the venue this week. He has instead watched MPs debate his address via a virtual platform.

Opposition MPs have torn into the president, questioning his claim that government does not create jobs and charging that his address was filled with empty promises.

The president is set to respond to criticism and questions in his reply on Wednesday, but the EFF has demanded he do so in person.

“If it was correct and useful for him to physically address the joint sitting, which is convened in his name, then he should have sat during the whole debate to listen, physically, to all MPs debating his address. We therefore call on him to attend the Sona reply physically,” the party said.

The party said Ramaphosa called on South Africans to go out and vote during last year’s local government elections, but when it is time to fulfil his duties he “chooses a virtual platform”.

The party called it “snobbish” and “the greatest disrespect and inconsideration. A sign of his disregard for accountability”.

On Monday, EFF leader Julius Malema told the joint sitting Ramaphosa was the worst president in history, and claimed black South Africans have become poorer with him at the helm of the ruling party. 

He said the ANC’s failure to get more than 50% of the vote in last year’s polls demonstrated South Africans were losing faith in the ruling party.

“SA has the highest levels of joblessness in the world and there is no believable programme and plan to create jobs for our people. More than 10-million South Africans who are capable of working and are willing to work cannot find jobs anywhere, and these are black people who were systematically excluded from meaningful economic participation under colonialism and apartheid,” said Malema.