SONA is an annual fairy-tale where the ANC attempts to convince gullible South Africans that economic growth will rise, unemployment will fall, corruption will finally be dealt with, and that all of this is possible whilst the primary focus of government is on 'transformation' (which is a euphemism for excluding as many of the most economically productive members of society as possible from contributing to achieving growth and reducing unemployment).
We will then all come back in another year's time to find that growth didn't rise, unemployment didn't fall, the corrupt roam free, and to be told that the reason transformation failed was that we were not doing enough of it.
The only change in 2025 is that the ANC is bringing along a puppet show with most of the former opposition parties forming the supporting cast.
The real truth will never be spoken - that the entire notion of South Africa as a centralised unitary state has been a failure from its inception in 1910, right through to the present day.
As far as the Referendum Party (RP) is concerned, this year's leading villain is the DA.
The ANC are beyond redemption - the frogs must know that the scorpion will always remain a scorpion.
The DA, however, would have South Africans believe that they have two choices: a deeply compromised GNU where they are doing their best to hold the line, or a 'Doomsday coalition' if they don't. This simply isn't true, as the DA are very much aware. Self-determination, an undeniable human right to which all people are entitled, is the third option.
As the DA themselves have so ably demonstrated, South Africa's ideological divide is not bridgeable. The GNU is not the least worst option. Minority communities can and must claim their right to self-determination, removing the ANC and the threat of MK and the EFF from their lives forever. Why, knowing what they now know, would any minority community in South Africa not wish to claim their right to make their own decisions?
The Western Cape must be allowed to vote on its independence (something which the DA promised but reneged upon), and cultural communities such as Afrikaners, Zulus, and others should be looking beyond the central government to secure the future the majority of their people want.
Trusting that Prince Charming will arrive to magically save the day is not a story that adult voters are supposed to believe in.
SONA is 'n jaarlikse sprokiesverhaal waar die ANC probeer om goedgelowige Suid-Afrikaners te oortuig dat ekonomiese groei sal styg, werkloosheid sal afneem, korrupsie uiteindelik aangespreek sal word, en dat dit alles moontlik is terwyl die regering se primêre fokus op 'transformasie' is (wat 'n eufemisme is om soveel van die mees ekonomies produktiewe lede van die samelewing as moontlik uit te sluit van bydrae om groei te bereik en werkloosheid te verminder).
Ons sal dan almal weer oor 'n jaar terugkom en vind dat groei nie gestyg het nie, werkloosheid nie afgeneem het nie, die korrupte vry rondloop, en ons sal vertel word dat die rede waarom transformasie misluk het, is omdat ons nie genoeg daarvan gedoen het nie.
Die enigste verandering in 2025 is dat die ANC 'n marionetvertoning saambring met die meeste van die voormalige opposisiepartye wat die ondersteunende rolspelers vorm.
Die werklike waarheid sal nooit gespreek word nie - dat die hele idee van Suid-Afrika as 'n gesentraliseerde eenheidstaat vanaf die begin in 1910 tot vandag toe 'n mislukking was.
Vir die Referendum Party (RP) is die DA die grootste booswig vanjaar.
Die ANC is verby redding - die paddas moet weet dat die skerpioen altyd 'n skerpioen sal bly.
Die DA wil egter hê Suid-Afrikaners moet glo hulle het twee keuses: 'n diep gekompromitteerde RNE waar hulle hul beste doen om die lyn te hou, of 'n 'Doemsdag-koalisie' as hulle nie doen nie. Dit is eenvoudig nie waar nie, soos die DA baie goed weet. Selfbeskikking, 'n onmiskenbare mensereg wat alle mense toekom, is die derde opsie.
Soos die DA self so vaardig gedemonstreer het, is Suid-Afrika se ideologiese kloof nie oorbrugbaar nie. Die RNE is nie die minste slegte opsie nie.
Minderheidsgemeenskappe kan en moet hul reg op selfbeskikking eis asook die ANC en die bedreiging van MK en die EFF uit hul lewens vir altyd verwyder. Waarom, met die kennis wat hulle nou het, sou enige minderheidsgemeenskap in Suid-Afrika nie hul reg wil eis om hul eie besluite te neem nie?
Die Wes-Kaap moet toegelaat word om oor sy onafhanklikheid te stem (iets wat die DA belowe het, maar nie nagekom het nie), en kulturele gemeenskappe soos Afrikaners, Zoeloes en ander moet buite die sentrale regering kyk om die toekoms wat die meerderheid van hul mense wil hê, te verseker.
Om te glo dat ’n sjarmante prins die dag sal kom red, is nie ’n storie wat volwasse kiesers behoort te glo nie.