In his maiden GNU speech for the seventh administration, President Cyril Ramaphosa had to strike a balance between the manifesto promises of the ANC and those of other political parties. This resulted in a speech which predominantly endorsed ANC policy with hints of the DA's blueprint.

In his Opening of Parliament Address on Thursday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa echoed the government of national unity's (GNU's) overarching theme of working in harmony.

He explained that while the GNU was united around many issues, there were still aspects where members needed to find common ground. In his speech, Ramaphosa mostly articulated the ANC's policy stances, but made some compromises to accommodate the DA.

The speech indicates Ramaphosa's commitment to the success of the seventh administration, which will depend on the level of collaboration between the parties.

The President mentioned the highly contested National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, which has been previously criticised by the DA, the second-largest party in the GNU.

Ramaphosa's signing of the Bill was seen as an electioneering tool for the ANC, which it passed during the 2024 national election season.

While the President was resolute about signing off the Bill, he seemed to be less aggressive in how he articulated his message in his speech on Thursday. Ramaphosa mentioned that it was important for stakeholders to come together, resolve differences on the Bill and clarify misunderstandings.

The President expressed the importance of the Social Relief of Distress Grant as he dubbed it the...