In his New Year address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa had made great progress in 2024. However, there still remains an urgent need to create more jobs, ensure all people receive quality service and fix water supply problems.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa broke his silence on the SACP’s decision to contest the 2026 local elections on their own, warning that dismantling the tripartite alliance would “weaken the national democratic movement.” Despite leading the rival MK party, former president Jacob Zuma, meanwhile, demanded that he be reinstated in the ANC by the end of January. The ruling party dismissed his demand as “mischievous.”

The world braced itself for the return of the polarising figure of Donald Trump as the 47^th president of the United States. On the campaign trail, Trump had announced wide-reaching plans, including the mass deportations of immigrants and sweeping tariffs that economists warned could have a drastic effect on the economy. He also threatened to rename the Gulf of Mexico, take over the Panama Canal, make Canada part of the United States and buy Greenland.

In launching his “Masterplan” to tackle the city’s dire state, Msunduzi Municipality Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla finally admitted to what residents have been complaining about for years.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill allowing for the seizure of land without compensation – a move that put him at odds with some of the other parties in the Government of National Unity.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s SONA address came at a time when South Africa’s relations with Rwanda were souring as security deteriorated in the eastern DR Congo. US President Donald Trump also threatened to cut funding over South Africa’s land policy, which allowed for the confiscation of land without compensation.

As the United States announced new tariffs on steel and aluminium, EU chief Maros Sefcovic said it was a “lose-lose” scenario. “By imposing tariffs, the US will be taxing its own citizens, raising costs for its own business, and fuelling inflation,” he cautioned.

The last-minute cancellation of the 2025 budget speech exposed deep divisions within the fragile Government of National Unity, with the ANC appearing to believe it still held the upper hand after informing coalition partners of the 2% VAT hike at the last moment.