SONA 2022: Covid grant extented to March 2023, Ramaphosa promises to cut red tape for business

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President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his 6th State of The Nation Address from Cape Town City Hall on 10 February 2022.

Against a backdrop or rising unemployment, ongoing corruption, and a Parliament building that almost burnt down, Ramaphosa promised that work was underway to solve the country’s ills and grow the economy.

Here are just a few highlights:

  • The R350 Social Relief of Distress Grant has been extended until March 2023.
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa says Cabinet acknowledges and accepts overall responsibility for the July riots in Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng. He announces that he will make changes to the heads of security institutions.
  • Ramaphosa promises to reduce red tape for business. He says there are too many regulations that are unduly complicated, costly and difficult to comply with. This prevents companies from growing and creating jobs. A red tape team has been established in his office.
  • He says they are going to fast-track policy and regulations for the use of cannabis for medicinal use, especially in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
  • Ramaphosa says he intends to end the national state of disaster, as soon as other measures under the National Health Act, and other legislation to contain the pandemic, have been finalised.
  • Ramaphosa says he will present a detailed plan to Parliament, to deal with State Capture, by no later than June this year.

Perhaps most importantly, Ramaphosa has called on all South Africans to help the country get out of the doldrums:

To find out more about what was contained in #SONA2022 visit the link below:

https://www.stateofthenation.gov.za/

Liesl Smit
Liesl Smit
Liesl is the Smile 90.4FM News Manager. She has been at Smile since 2016, with nearly 20 years experience in the radio industry, including reading news, field reporting and producing. In 2008 she won the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Award, Western Cape region. liesl@smile904.fm

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