Foundation of South Africa’s constitutional democracy
“This SoNA is taking place as we celebrate 70 years since the adoption of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People in Kliptown. The Freedom Charter is the cornerstone of our democratic Constitution. It sets out a vision of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
“It sets out a vision of a country in which government is founded on the will of the people, where the land is shared among those who work it, where the people share in the country’s wealth and all are equal before the law. It is this vision that continues to guide us as we work to build the nation we all want.
“It is the spirit of the Congress of the People that inspires us as we prepare for a National Dialogue in which South Africans are once again called upon to chart a new path for our country. We must chart this path in a world that is rapidly changing.
“It is a world of both interdependence and competition, of cooperation and conflict. It is a multipolar world in which new countries are emerging to play a greater role in global affairs. We are seeing intensifying competition over trade, technology and influence in global institutions.
“There are global fundamental shifts underway that affect every aspect of human life – from the growing impact of climate change to rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), geopolitical tensions and violent conflicts.
“In the face of these challenges, we are witnessing the rise of nationalism and protectionism, the pursuit of narrow interests and the decline of common cause. This is the world that we, as a developing economy, must now navigate.
“But we are not daunted. We will not be deterred. We are a resilient people. We will not be bullied. We will stand together as a united nation. We will speak with one voice in defence of our national interest, our sovereignty and our constitutional democracy.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, SoNA, 6 February 2025, Cape Town City Hall.
“By staying true to our values, by harnessing our unique strengths and endowments and by forging a common purpose, we can turn these trying circumstances to our advantage and propel our country forward.
“As South Africans, we stand for peace and justice, equality and solidarity. We stand for non-racialism and democracy, for tolerance and compassion. We stand for equal rights for women,for persons with disability and for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We stand for our shared humanity, not for survival of the fittest.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, SoNA, 6 February 2025, Cape Town City Hall.
“So, this evening, let us speak of the nation we want, and let us speak of the work we must do – and the work we are doing– to build that nation. We want a nation united in its diversity. At many difficult moments in our past, we worked together towards a common goal. Through partnership, we brought peace and democracy to our country.
“We overcame apartheid, a crime against humanity that denied people their human rights, that deprived them of their land and livelihoods and sought to strip them of their dignity. Through
partnership, we overcame a devastating pandemic and rebuilt our country in the wake of state capture.
“Together, we have built durable institutions that support our democracy, protect our fundamental rights and promote the wellbeing of South Africans. We have built meaningful partnerships between government and business, labour, civil society and other social partners to drive growth and development; these stand as models of cooperation for the rest of the world.
“South Africans are continuing to work together to confront our country’s challenges and build a nation that works for all. Guided by the wishes of the people as expressed in last year 'selections, we have formed a GNU to give expression to our culture of cooperation. As political parties, we have set aside our differences and agreed to work together for the good of all South Africans.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, SoNA, 6 February 2025, Cape Town City Hall.
