State of the Province Address 2026: Eastern Cape charts a determined path of care, growth and renewal.

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In his 2026 State of the Province Address (SOPA), Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane delivered a wide-ranging and grounded account of where the province stands, thirty years into South Africa’s constitutional democracy. Speaking at the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature in Bhisho, the Premier anchored his address firmly in the Bill of Rights, using it as the benchmark to assess progress on dignity, equality, service delivery and economic opportunity.

Premier Mabuyane opened by reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the Constitution, reminding citizens that the true measure of government is its ability to banish poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease. Under the theme “Siyakha, Siyakhathala, Siyaphambili – We build, we care, we move forward together”, the address emphasised social protection, education, health care and inclusive economic growth as central pillars of provincial development.

Education featured prominently as both a constitutional right and an economic lever. The province maintained an 84% matric pass rate in public schools, with Independent Examination Board schools achieving 89%. Notably, the Eastern Cape ranked third nationally in bachelor passes, expanding access to university education. The Premier highlighted the acceleration of Early Childhood Development, with over 130 000 children enrolled and 800 qualified practitioners being recruited. Infrastructure investment continues, with 25 new schools completed in 2025 and a further 57 scheduled for completion in 2026, alongside a focused drive to eradicate dangerous pit toilets in schools.

Health care outcomes reflected steady improvement. Backed by a R7.1 billion budget, the province recorded a significant drop in maternal mortality, improved antenatal care coverage and expanded medicine delivery programmes that now benefit more than half a million people. Investment in specialised services, including oncology, renal dialysis, IVF and urology, signals a determined move to reduce reliance on other provinces for advanced medical care, while hundreds of doctors and nurses have been added to the public health system.

On social protection, government continues to position dignity at the centre of its work. With R35 billion invested annually in social security, poverty levels have declined markedly—from 36% of residents living below the food poverty line in 2015 to 23% in 2023. Daily nutrition programmes now reach 1.5 million learners, reinforcing the province’s defence against child hunger.

Economic growth and job creation, however, remain the province’s most urgent challenge. Despite job losses in late 2025, the Premier pointed to resilience in trade, utilities and public employment programmes. Skills development emerged as a key intervention, with thousands of young people benefiting from labour activation programmes, TVET training, artisan development and bursaries in scarce-skills fields. Strategic partnerships with industry, including automotive, manufacturing and digital sectors, are positioning the Eastern Cape for future-focused growth.

Infrastructure investment continues to reshape the provincial landscape. Major road projects, bridges, water schemes and logistics investments are improving connectivity, supporting local businesses and unlocking rural economies. Encouragingly, governance outcomes also improved, with all provincial departments achieving unqualified audits and several municipalities recording clean audits, an important signal of a more capable developmental state.

In closing, Premier Mabuyane acknowledged that while bold strategies and large-scale investments are underway, the task ahead is to translate these into sustainable, decent jobs. The 2026 SOPA thus presents a province that is realistic about its challenges, yet resolute in its commitment to care, inclusion and long-term growth, grounded firmly in the constitutional promise made three decades ago.