17 FEBRUARY 2026

• Madam Speaker, Chairperson of the NCOP

• Your Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa

• Deputy President

• Honourable Members

• Traditional Leaders in our midst

• Ladies and Gentlemen

• Fellow South Africans

Sanibonani.

It gives me great pleasure to participate in the 2026 SONA Debate, delivered during the significant month of February — a month that marks the release of former President Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. This is also the month where we celebrate the birth and commemorate the passing of founding president of the African National Congress, Dr John Langalibalele Dube, Umafukuzela Onjengelanga.

Although he departed this earth many decades ago, we continue to draw inspiration from his philosophy and ideals rooted in education, economic self-reliance, and interracial harmony. It is therefore no coincidence that, in pursuit of this vision, he established Ohlange Institute that promoted agriculture, industrial training, alongside academic learning.

We must continue to draw lessons from his legacy as we confront the challenges of our time.

You will agree with me that one of the pressing issues we face is water security and the decline of core services in our municipalities. Yet we stand today with renewed purpose as decisive action is being taken by the President to reverse this trajectory.

WATER SECURITY AND MUNICIPAL REFORM

Madam Speaker,

We welcome the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee, chaired by the President. This is not merely another structure, it is a clear demonstration of national resolve. By placing this committee under his direct leadership, the President sends a powerful message that the water challenge demands urgency, coordination, and unwavering oversight. This is leadership that rises to meet the moment.

We further express our appreciation for the R156 billion investment committed to water and sanitation infrastructure (Steven Dlamini Dam, Lower and Upper Umkhomazi Dams). This commitment comes at a critical time, as communities across the country face severe water scarcity, ageing infrastructure, and repeated service disruptions. This injection of resources is not only timely, it is essential to restoring dignity and protecting the fundamental right to water for every South African household.

Honourable Members,

We must be honest about the challenges before us. The declining performance of water, electricity, and solid waste services in our municipalities undermines constitutional rights, restricts economic opportunity, and limits job creation. Our eight metropolitan municipalities where this challenge is severe, account for more than two-thirds of South Africa’s economic activity. Their decline is not merely a municipal concern, it is a national risk.

That is why the performance-based grant introduced by National Treasury is a game changer. It shifts us from funding failure to rewarding performance. It incentivises metros to reverse the deterioration in electricity, water, wastewater, and solid waste services. It demands a new governance culture built on accountability, capability, transparency, and measurable improvement.

These reforms require that trading services be managed with professionalism and discipline, either as dedicated business units (utilities). These models are tried, tested, and proven locally and internationally to deliver efficient and reliable services.

At the heart of these reforms lies a strong accountability framework that demands:

• A single, empowered point of management accountability

• An organisational structure consolidating all necessary functions

• A clear service compact between the municipality and the service entity

• Full financial transparency

• A credible, funded business and investment plan that charts a realistic path to sustainability

This moment calls on us to restore trust in public institutions by ensuring services work consistently, transparently, and sustainably.

This is not merely technical reform. It is a moral obligation.

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT MODEL AND CATALYTIC GROWTH

Honourable Speaker, we acknowledge the leadership demonstrated by eThekwini in advancing the District Development Model. Through the DDM,  They have been able to streamline their planning and facilitated the establishment of a one-stop shop for Environmental Impact Assessments and Water Use License approvals. Through the funding from Infrastructure South Africa, eThekwini Municipality has been able to unlock critical infrastructure for major catalytic projects such as the R10 billion rands Brickworks development in Avoca, north of Durban and the R15 billion Shongweni Development in the outer west. These economic projects have injected economic growth and jobs and economic opportunities were created.

It is important to mention that along the N3 corridor, a bold vision is taking shape – the development of a new urban node connecting Durban and Pietermaritzburg. This corridor is becoming the economic spine of KwaZulu-Natal. The intention to establish a Midrand-equivalent hub for the province reflects strategic foresight, anchoring logistics, industry, commercial development, and residential growth along one of the country’s busiest transport routes.

The Cato Ridge dry port development is attracting significant investment and will ease pressure on the Port of Durban, improve freight efficiency, and strengthen export competitiveness.

Major SANRAL upgrades to the N2 and N3 corridors which together carry close to 300,000 vehicles daily will further stimulate the economy of the province and create sustainable jobs and economic opportunities.

This investment in infrastructure has significantly improved Business Confidence in eThekwini. The latest Business Confidence Index report from the University of KwaZulu-Natal indicate that business confidence index rose from 52.12 in Q3 2025 to 63.38 in Q4 2025, a clear signal that reform and investment are restoring trust. Recently, the city of Durban has been ranked among the world’s top destinations to visit by Time Out Worldwide. In its newly released list of The Best Places to Travel in 2026, Durban secured the 14th spot, cementing its status as a premier destination for tourism, leisure, and entertainment.

THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT CRISIS

Madam Speaker,

No discussion of growth is complete without confronting the youth unemployment challenge. Therefore, every development agenda must place youth employment at its core.

Key interventions should include:

1. Mandatory youth hiring quotas linked to catalytic projects

2. DDM Youth Economic Zones focused on digital economy, logistics, green industries, and township manufacturing

3. Youth Work Readiness Programme tied to infrastructure grants, ensuring every rand spent builds skills and vocational employment. This should be a collaborative effort between TVET Colleges and private sector. This must prepare the youth to become job creators.

4. A targeted Youth Public Employment Guarantee in high-unemployment communities. Youth must be involves in projects such as pothole patching, grass cutting and road marking and installation of solar panels.

5. Youth-focused SEZ reforms offering subsidised rental, startup capital, procurement access, and regulatory support

Honourable Members, a nation that equips, empowers, and mobilises its youth stands on the edge of greatness.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AND PROCUREMENT REFORM

Honourable Speaker,

To achieve the SONA 2026 Presidential Directives, we must return to the constitution. We must focus decisively on Section 217 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which governs public procurement. Section 217 is not a procedural clause, it is a transformative directive. It instructs that when the state contracts for goods and services, it must do so in a manner that is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective. But critically, it also empowers the state to advance persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination.

Mr president, if we are serious about tackling unemployment, inequality and poverty, then we must unapologetically use Section 217 to place key provisions of basic services – especially water, sanitation and infrastructure maintenance in the hands of structured, accountable social enterprises.

We strongly believe that basic services must build local economies. Every municipality procures plumbing services, waste collection, road maintenance, stormwater maintenance and community facilities. These recurring services must be deliberately structured for youth, women, people with disability, military veterans and community-based social enterprises operating in township and rural areas to boost local economy.

Allow me to state categorically:

Our economy cannot transform if we rely on a procurement system that was never designed to uplift the marginalised.

Therefore, we must place social enterprises at the centre of economic reform – because they are the most powerful engine of inclusive growth that we have.

Social enterprises turn procurement into empowerment. Every contract awarded to a social enterprise becomes:

• A job created,

• A family supported,

• A community uplifted.

Social enterprises reach communities the mainstream economy has ignored. Social enterprises do not just provide economic activity, they promote economic justice. They convert social problems into economic opportunities. Where others see obstacles, social enterprises see potential. Social enterprises make procurement a tool for transformation, not corruption.

If we want growth that is fair, inclusive, and sustainable, then we must invest in organisations whose mission is community benefit, not elite enrichment.

Social enterprises offer:

• Transparency

• Measurable social impact

• Local ownership

• Long-term sustainability

This is the model of the future.

Economic transformation will not happen by accident. It will happen by design — and the design must put social enterprises in the driver’s seat.

FIXING LOCAL GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER REVIEW

Honourable Speaker,

The President spoke at length about the urgent need to stabilise and strengthen local government. During the 2024 State of the Nation Address, he directed the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to lead a comprehensive review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. This review comes at a critical juncture for our democracy.

We commend the people of South Africa who actively participated in the consultation process and made meaningful contributions. Their voices will help shape a new framework for municipalities that is responsive to the realities of today while remaining anchored in constitutional principles.

We are confident that this review will address persistent shortcomings in governance, financial management and service delivery, and will chart a path toward building an ideal municipality that is:

• Democratic and accountable

• Responsive to community needs

• Capable of delivering services sustainably and efficiently

• A driver of inclusive social and economic development

• Committed to creating safe and healthy environments

• Encouraging of meaningful community participation

• Guided by a culture of service excellence and accountability

• Clear in the assignment of roles and responsibilities to leadership and management

Equally important are the proposals under consideration to restore financial sustainability in municipalities. A new financial model for local government is being explored — one that directly addresses the structural imbalance where expenditure continues to outpace revenue, while service delivery declines. Without reform, this trajectory is unsustainable.

The proposed trading services reforms hold particular promise. By strengthening the management of core revenue-generating services such as water provision, solid waste management and energy distribution, municipalities can improve reliability, expand access and enhance operational efficiency. In turn, this will build public confidence and create an investor-friendly environment where businesses can operate with certainty and communities can thrive.

Together, these reforms signal a decisive commitment to building capable, ethical and development-oriented local governments — institutions that are not only administratively functional, but are engines of growth, dignity and opportunity for all. We are confident that the reforms will also clearly define the role of traditional leadership and the relationship with municipalities. This will go a long way in addressing issues related to the spatial development framework. We hold a view that a strong collaboration between municipalities and traditional leaders will enable both parties to conduct land audit in traditional authorities with an intention of fully integrating rural communities into the spatial development framework of municipalities.

This will undo the apartheid spatial development pattern. Major developments must not only take place along national routes, but it should also filter down to rural and township communities to stimulate local economic growth.  Therefore, human settlements should be accelerated to eradicate informal settlements which are as a result of rapid urbanisation. This is in line with the Freedom Charter which states that “There Shall be Houses, Security and Comfort.

To industrialise our rural and township communities, government must resuscitate Ithala Industrial development zones in KwaMashu, Kwasithebe, Manguzi, Newcastle, Madadeni, Mnambithi and Umlazi. We must also create new industrial zones to leverage from the value chain in the following industries to create jobs:

• Automotive

• Manufacturing

• Agro-processing

• Clothing and textile  

• ⁠Tourism

To safeguard our local economy and infrastructure, municipalities are urged to development and approve climate change action plans in order to apply adaptation and mitigation programmes to reduce the impact of disasters.

We acknowledge the strides the ANC has put to fight crime which impede investment; hence we wish to appeal to the President to resuscitate Presidential Nodal Points so that government is capacitated to deal with poverty and crime in identified provinces.  

 Areas like UMsinga, Maphumulo, Inanda and kwaMashu.

This is the dream that uMafakukuzela and countless other struggle forebears dedicated their lives to pursuing.

I thank you.