ActionSA’s Athol Trollip offered a measured but pointed assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday evening, acknowledging the speech was “better than expected” while accusing the President of failing to take accountability for the decay of local government.
Speaking to journalists immediately following the address at the Cape Town City Hall, the former Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor said Ramaphosa was “candid about the state of local government and how broken it is” but noted that the President “accepted no responsibility for that.”
“It’s his government that has broken local government and also water infrastructure,” Trollip said.
The ActionSA stalwart, whose party holds six seats in the National Assembly, welcomed Ramaphosa’s commitment to a special focus on water infrastructure, but suggested the admission came too late.
“I think they’ve realized it’s too late. The Vaal River systems are full of water, dams are overflowing, but there’s no water in the taps. So, there’s a crisis there,” he said.
Despite the critique, Trollip struck a notably vindicated tone regarding his party’s influence on the national agenda. He highlighted several policy areas where ActionSA’s advocacy appears to have gained traction, including the fight against illicit trade, additional funding for the South African Revenue Service (SARS), whistleblower protection, and anti-corruption legislation.
“It’s all in the record. It’s all in the pipeline of private members’ legislation,” he said.
Trollip pointed specifically to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, an issue he said he has been “on the road every day” highlighting. He had previously called for a national disaster declaration regarding the animal health crisis.
“He’s declared a national disaster. So, I feel vindicated,” Trollip said.
Reflecting on the broader democratic landscape, Trollip said the outcome demonstrates the value of a competent opposition.
“I think if this is how a democracy works and if you’re a competent, capable, hardworking opposition—there’s a dearth of opposition in our Parliament—our six members have shown that we can influence policy,” he said.
While noting that Ramaphosa’s address contained “less fairy tales this time around,” Trollip maintained that systemic failures in local government remain the legacy of the administration now in its third decade in power.