The network of Southern African and European organisations ACT Ubumbano said the Government of National Unity’s (GNU’s) first year has revealed significant challenges in governance, warning of severe implications for service delivery and public trust.

In its accountability report, launched in collaboration with Zimbabwe-based independent policy research organisation SIVIO Institute, ACT Ubumbano highlighted that the budget crisis of 2025 exposed weaknesses in the coalition's ability to govern effectively.

Key statistics highlight a service delivery crisis; 12.7-million people unemployed, 80% for over a year; and an 18.3% reduction in per capita spending on basic services.

Speaking during the launch in Johannesburg, SIVIO Institute development practitioner and researcher Tendai Murisa said the GNU must prioritise accountability and proactive governance to address systemic challenges and restore public confidence.

The report analyses the performance and achievements of the GNU during its first year, focusing on various sectors such as the economy, governance, corruption, climate change, and social services.

The report is based on data from the South Africa Citizens Watch Tracker, which monitors government actions against promises made during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address and the Medium-Term Development Plan.

The report aims to provide transparency and accountability through periodic evaluations of government performance.

According to the report, the GNU made commitments across five sectors – 36% in economy; 21% in governance; 33% in social services; 5% in corruption and 4% in climate change.

Murisa explained that the assessment methodology involves real-time tracking of government actions against 121 promises categorised into the five sectors.

SIVIO Institute country researcher Yolokazi Mfuto noted that promises were scored based on their implementation status: not commenced, in progress, implemented, modified, or broken.

She said the scoring system ensured objectivity and transparency, with a maximum score of 14 points for fully implemented promises.

Mfuto further explained that the report aggregated scores by sector to provide a comprehensive overview of government performance.

She highlighted that the report highlighted that the GNU had made modest progress, with 21% of promises commenced and an overall fulfilment progress of 9%.

“Out of 121 promises, 30 actions have been captured, with no promises fully implemented. The economy sector has the highest number of actions 12, while climate change has seen no progress,” she said.

Mfuto pointed out that the economic sector had seen limited progress, with a 12% implementation score from 44 promises.

“Key actions include the establishment of One Stop Shops for small and medium-sized enterprises and the Spaza Shop Support Fund, which has disbursed R6-million of R500-million allocated.

“The government faced challenges in passing the national Budget, leading to a decline in GDP growth forecasts from 1.9% to 1.4%,” she said.

The governance sector has achieved a 4% progress rate, with five out of 22 promises in progress.

“The launch of Phase II of Operation Vulindlela aims to enhance digital transformation and improve local government performance. The focus is on addressing structural challenges and enhancing service delivery through digital public infrastructure,” she said.

Mfuto noted the corruption sector had a 12% implementation score, with three out of seven promises in progress.

“Core anti-corruption measures, such as establishing independent investigative agencies, have not progressed. Recent actions include freezing and recovering funds linked to corruption, but broader institutional reforms are still needed,” she explained.

She stated that South Africa's social services faced a severe crisis owing to budget cuts and delays in funding, impacting the health and education sectors significantly.

The social services sector had a modest 11% implementation score, with ten out of 42 promises in progress, she said.

Mfuto pointed out that significant actions included increased budget allocations for public schools and the Basic Education Amendment Act aimed at improving educational infrastructure.

She highlighted that the Department of Basic Education had allocated R15.3-billion for infrastructure improvements, with 97% of sanitation projects completed under the SAFE initiative.

“The immediate effects of budget delays have severely impacted service delivery across various sectors: 79% of infrastructure projects delayed, with R2.9-billion installed investments; the education sector experienced only 2.6% real growth, with thousands of vacant posts remaining unfilled; and the health sector faced cuts to HIV/Aids programmes of -3.1% and the Emergency Medical Services -2.4%,” she noted.

She further noted that social grants saw an 80% reduction in planned increases, affecting vulnerable populations.