EXCLUSIVE: Ekurhuleni’s Xhakaza set to reshuffle mayoral committee amid ANC, EFF tension

The Gauteng leader said provincial officials had approached him to pursue the national position

Even before his speech on Thursday, many opposition parties had already given the president a ‘fail’

A year after the president’s first State of the Nation address as the leader of a coalition government, performance has been good and bad

The Lanseria smart city remains a dream and hunger, unemployment and crime continue to be high but there has been progress in Eskom’s turnaround

The president said senior officials in municipalities would be appointed through an independent process free from political interference

The president said the South African National Defence Force would be deployed to support police in tackling gang violence and illegal mining

The president said the army would be deployed to tackle illegal mining and gang violence and pledged urgent action against organised crime

Party leader Julius Malema said the move signalled the president’s loss of confidence in the police

In a pointed message to powerful nations, the president declared that South Africa’s sovereignty was “sacrosanct” and would not be compromised

This was Ramaphosa’s ninth address since being elected in 2019

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address live from Cape Town City Hall.

The Democratic Alliance federal chair says she has been communicating with the party leader on WhatsApp