Business organisation Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has outlined its expectations for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address tonight, with the first being a call for a clear acknowledgement on the partnership between government and business on energy, logistics and crime and corruption.

It also expects a commitment from government to open up space for greater participation by the private sector in building, operating and maintaining critical logistics networks and in generating energy.

Busa highlights that there has been some progress in these areas, particularly in energy, but also in logistics, with the recent announcement that Transnet Freight Rail has taken delivery of seven sets of locomotive batteries procured by the Richards Bay Coal Terminal.

The business organisation also wants a clear commitment to ensure that critical pieces of legislation, like the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill will be processed expeditiously.

This is part of a broader commitment to consider legislation that promotes partnerships between the public and private sectors to enable the private sector to assist government to build its capacity to be an enabling government and deliver critical priorities, Busa explains.

It also expects an indication that municipal government will be prioritised, with a view to enabling political and administrative structures that focus on service delivery and infrastructure.

It has also called for further commitment to deal decisively with corruption, bring people to account and ensure prosecutions.