President Cyril Ramaphosa urged unity among elected representatives in his reply to the 2026 State of the Nation Address debate, using a beaver metaphor to emphasize collaborative effort. He strongly defended Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) against opposition, highlighting the need to redress past inequalities. The address also touched on water security and SANDF deployments.
On 19 February 2026, following two days of debate on his State of the Nation Address (Sona), President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed Parliament, calling for urgent, unified action. He likened elected representatives to beavers building dams, stating, “with urgency, with unity and with the quiet determination to make something strong enough to hold.” This metaphor underscored teamwork: “Beavers are like a team of engineers. They work together to fell branches, pack mud and raise dams and lodges that create a safe ‘neighbourhood’ of deep water around their home.” Ramaphosa emphasized that such cooperation turns risk into refuge through coordination and shared purpose.
Ramaphosa expressed gratitude to leaders in the 10-party Government of National Unity (GNU) for their regular discussions on national challenges. However, he referenced International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola's prior question about the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s oppositional stance within the GNU.
A key focus was Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which the DA opposes. Ramaphosa argued that the Constitution demands transformation to address past injustices, saying, “We cannot do that without transforming the various aspects of South African life, but more particularly the economy. It cannot be acceptable to anyone in this House for African people, coloured people and Indian people to be poorer and have fewer opportunities than white people.” He added that abandoning BEE now would be untimely, calling instead to make it more effective. During apartheid, he and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe fought laws that disadvantaged black workers, such as denying them blasting certificates while white workers received higher pay.
In response, DA leader John Steenhuisen stated, “We reject the protection of BEE, which has benefited only politically connected elites at the expense of the poor.” The DA has tabled the Economic Inclusion for All Bill to replace BEE with a policy addressing poverty more inclusively.
On water issues, Ramaphosa defended his new water task team, comparing it to successful energy and logistics teams. He announced the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee, building on existing efforts like the Water Task Team and Operation Vulindlela, to ensure long-term water security and immediate municipal supplies. This follows Sona announcements of SANDF deployments to combat gangsterism in the Western Cape, illegal mining in Gauteng, and an extension to the Eastern Cape.
