UAT calls for concrete commitments from government

The United Africans Transformation (UAT) party has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration to move beyond broad messages of optimism and provide clear, measurable commitments that South Africans can use to assess government performance.

The UAT said while reassurance and hopeful messaging were often welcomed, South Africans were grappling with unemployment, electricity insecurity, economic exclusion and crime.

“At this stage of our democracy, leadership must move beyond inspirational language and provide specific, time-bound outcomes that citizens can objectively assess,” said UAT national spokesperson Mighty Mabule.

In his New Year’s Eve message on Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa characterised the rooting out of corruption as the government’s overriding priority.

He praised the government for some of its successes in 2025, including the recovery of the economy, its work towards creating more jobs, the easing of inflation, the cost of living coming down and the strengthening of the rand.

But UAT said critical questions remained unanswered.

On employment, UAT asked how many new jobs unemployed South Africans could realistically expect this year. It called for clear targets, sector-specific plans and timelines rather than broad projections.

It also questioned the government’s plans around mineral beneficiation and industrialisation, asking what measurable progress would be made in the ensuing year, how much value would be added locally, how many jobs would be created and which communities would benefit directly.

On energy stability, the political party said communities in townships and rural areas needed clarity on whether load-shedding would be reduced, by how much and within what timeframe.

It noted that vague assurances of improvement did little to help households, schools, clinics and small businesses plan their daily activities.

UAT also raised concerns about drugs and substance abuse, particularly in impoverished communities, calling for concrete interventions and measurable outcomes.

“South Africans are exhausted by recycled commitments, shifting deadlines and unquantified progress. What the country now requires is honesty about limitations, clarity about priorities and transparency about outcomes,” Mabule said.

The organisation called on the presidency and relevant departments to publish clear, accessible performance indicators linked to job creation, energy stability, economic beneficiation and community safety, so that South Africans could measure progress for themselves.

“The people are not asking for miracles. They are asking for truth, certainty and results,” Mabule said.

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