AS PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to deliver his State of the Nation Address today, people on the ground are begging him to deliver on his promises.
In the Western Cape, Margaret Sthuingela (53) from Delft said she lived with her boyfriend as she had been waiting for an RDP since 1997.
"President Ramaphosa must not just speak about housing for the poor, but must deliver," she said.
Her boyfriend Somaphike Nokwe (50) said he was tired of load shedding.
"We can't live like this. Ramaphosa must pull up his socks. When Zuma left, we didn't have load shedding," he said.
Gogo Nosakhele Mawisa (70) from RDP said parents sent kids to school but when they finished matric, they couldn't find jobs. "Our grandchildren end up with drinking problems because they're frustrated. We want the president to give young children hope and show them they have a future," she said.
Eric Njondela (53) from Philippi said he wanted a solution to load shedding because it was affecting his welding business.
In Gauteng, Sbelo Xaba from Soweto said: "I don't even know what to say because I'm depressed from spending hours in the dark. I don't think anyone's opinion matters in this country."
Bethuel Segooa (30), a truck driver from Randburg in Joburg, said the roads are a mess.
"There are so many potholes. When you drive on the N1, you see big boards that say ‘Welcome to Johannesburg' but the street lights are not even working," he said.
Noel Moyo from Randburg said food prices needed to drop.
"It would help alleviate crime because some people steal because of hunger. Even lobola prices are high now, even love is expensive in South Africa," he said.
Surprise Mashego (36) from Roodepoort said street vendors needed to be empowered like other small businesses. "We are being harassed by the police and we are here because there are no jobs," he said.
Factory worker Lucky Selepe (38) said when he couldn't work because of load shedding, it meant his salary at the end of month was smaller.
"We need to hear the president give us the solution before we lose more jobs," he said.
Tshepo Monareng (25) from Florida said giving R350 social relief grants but no job opportunities contributed to substance abuse. He said the grants should be replaced with job opportunities and bursaries.
"Jobs are reserved for those with connection, leaving many of us in the cold," he said.
Lawrence Choma (44) from Atteridgeville, Tshwane, said the president should give people serviced stands so they could build their own houses.
Joel Zwane (55) said hawkers needed better places to do business.
"We need the government to create jobs and provide people with better services," he said.
Lesedi Rakgorwane (20) from Mamelodi in Tshwane said the government needed to help people who had not finished matric or studied further to find jobs.
"We are rejected for jobs because most of us don't have tertiary qualifications or experience," she said.
Lebogang Chewe (35) from Atteridgeville said the government needed to prioritise service delivery, while John Mamabolo (53) from Mamelodi said load shedding was crippling the economy.
