Cosatu, SACP calls on Ramaphosa to address corruption, unemployment
The South African Communist Party (SACP) and trade union federation Cosatu say they expect Cyril Ramaphosa to speak to issues such as corruption, unemployment and poverty during his inaugural address.
Some 35 000 people are expected to descend on Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to watch Ramaphosa’s inauguration as the country's sixth democratic head of state.
Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla says the president needs to come with solutions to the issue of unemployment and inequality.
The country’s unemployment rate stood at a staggering at 27,6% during the first quarter of the year.
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"We expect the president to give us a sense of how he plans to help the people who are struggling with feeding and clothing their families on a daily basis. The fact of the matter is that the majority of South Africans are not part of the mainstream economy, so the president needs to give us a sense that he does have a plan to help the poor,” says Pamla.
The federation expects the president to present a clear plan within his 100 days of office.
"We are going to allow the president some room for him to put together a structure that he believes will be able to deliver for South Africans. But giving him room doesn't mean giving him a blank cheque,” says Pamla.
"There will be no honeymoon period. The president doesn't have five years to fix what is wrong with the country, at most the president has two years to send a clear message of intent. After 100 days we want to get a sense that the president knows what he is doing and that he has a plan.”
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo says the party wants to know how the president plans on rooting out corruption in the state.
The ANC announced this week that Nomvula Mokonyane and Malusi Gigaba will not be taking up their seats in the National Assembly.
Mokonyane has been mired in allegations of corruption, while Gigaba was found by a court to have laid under oath.
"What we want to hear from the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, a programmatic proclamation about dealing decisively with all those who were responsible, they have got to be held to account to the full extent of the law,” says Mashilo.
"Our people want to see a better life. They want a change in their conditions, over 9.8 million South Africans are unemployed.”