The Trust for Community Outreach and Education, Rural Women’s Assembly, Inyanda National land Movement expressed concern on the opening address of parliament by President Cyril Ramaphosa on July 18, 2024. The TCOE states that the President’s speech, revealed serious contradictions and shortcomings that raise doubts about the government's commitment to genuine social and economic transformation. The TCOE further states that President Ramaphosa emphasized the need to engage the private sector in delivering essential services, including infrastructure and water provision, while this approach is framed as promoting unity and inclusivity, it essentially advances privatization and entrenches neoliberal policies under the guise of the National Development Plan. The TCOE says this strategy benefits the wealthy, fostering conditions for increased exploitation and profit-making, while failing to provide concrete measures to address hunger, poverty, unemployment, and access to essential resources like land and water. Aaron Ranayeke elaborates.  Insert – TCOE Meanwhile, post May 29, 2024, the South African Human Rights Commission has called on political parties, now the GNU, to have a human rights-centered approach. Wisane Baloyi, for the SAHRC stated on June 10, 2024, that Human rights challenges such as unemployment, lack of service delivery, high crime rate and gender-based violence dominated the concerns of voters during electioneering, and these challenges must be addressed with extreme urgency to ensure that the rights of the people are realized and violations redressed.

Journalist: Rene Julies
Email: rckjulies@gmail.com