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ActionSA is deeply disappointed by the State of the Province Address (SoPA) delivered by KwaZulu-Natal Premier, which failed to reflect the harsh realities faced by the people of this province. Instead of presenting tangible solutions, the Premier painted an overly optimistic picture that is completely disconnected from the daily struggles of KZN residents.

One of the glaring omissions from his speech was the ongoing crisis in the education sector. The Premier failed to address the shortage of teachers, a crisis that continues to burden learners and existing educators. The failure to provide a plan to address this issue means that thousands of learners will remain without proper access to quality education.

Additionally, the school nutrition programme remains in shambles, with learners frequently going without meals due to non-payment of service providers by the government.

In the health sector, the introduction of 38 ambulances is simply inadequate given the severe shortage of emergency medical services in the province. This token effort will do little to improve the dire state of healthcare access for KZN residents.

Furthermore, the Premier’s remarks on medication shortages were equally uninspiring, as merely engaging with the MEC for Health does not resolve the crisis. His failure to acknowledge the shortage of healthcare workers further demonstrates a lack of commitment to addressing this pressing issue.

While ActionSA acknowledges that budget cuts present a challenge, the Premier did not provide assurances on how these cuts will be managed to minimise their impact on residents. Instead, KZN residents are left in the dark about how service delivery will be maintained in the face of financial constraints.

Notably absent from the Premier’s speech was a clear strategy to combat corruption in government. Without decisive action to root out corruption and hold those responsible accountable, service delivery failures will persist.

Regarding crime, while the Premier commended the work of Lt-Gen. Mkhwanazi in fighting crime, he failed to address the serious shortage of police officers on the ground. Law enforcement cannot effectively combat crime without adequate resources and manpower. We expected that there will be an addition of police officers in our province.

On the economic front, KZN’s GDP continues to underperform, largely due to the deterioration of the eThekwini Metro Municipality. As the economic engine of the province, eThekwini’s ongoing infrastructure failures and poor leadership are stifling economic growth. Without urgent intervention, the province’s economic outlook will only worsen.

We welcome the commitment by the Premier that IThala Bank is going nowhere. As a crucial financial institution for the province, IThala plays a vital role in economic development, particularly for small businesses and historically disadvantaged communities.

Furthermore, we note the Premier’s support for the recent proclamation allowing the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe IThala Bank. This is a necessary step to uncover corruption and mismanagement within the institution.

ActionSA remains committed to holding the KZN government accountable and advocating for real solutions that address the needs of the people.

The Premier’s failure to tackle real issues demonstrates that his administration is out of touch with the struggles of ordinary citizens. KZN deserves better leadership—one that prioritises service delivery, accountability, and economic growth.

Issued by ActionSA KZN Provincial Spokesperson Sanelisiwe Zuma