President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night said South Africa had the opportunity to make the country a better nation when he spelled out the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) plans for inclusive growth and job creation.
“The coming together of all the parties that decided to cooperate is quite a historic moment for our country.
“We must make the GNU work and function and succeed,” Ramaphosa said.
Delivering his Opening of Parliament Address in the City of Cape Town hall, Ramaphosa said he was grateful that all the leaders of the nine other political parties in the GNU wanted the new government to work.
“We shall make it work,” he said.
Ramaphosa said they shared a commitment to reconcile the nation. This would be by advancing social justice and equal prosperity for all.
“We are committed to improve the well-being of our country and its people through inclusive growth, the creation of jobs and the reduction of poverty. “This is an undertaking that involves us all.”
Ramaphosa said they had agreed on a programme as the foundation for the work of the GNU at the recent cabinet lekgotla.
“Cabinet will be convening a further strategy session to consider the medium-term development plan, which will translate these priorities into a detailed plan and interventions that government will implement over the next five years.
“The medium-term development plan will set out a well-defined vision and strategic plan that outlines clear goals and includes specific, measurable objectives and a roadmap for achieving them.
“These goals will be properly aligned with the budget, which will support the implementation of these objectives.”
Ramaphosa said the GNU has resolved to dedicate the next five years to actions that will advance three strategic priorities.
These were to drive inclusive growth and job creation, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living and to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.
“We have decided to place inclusive economic growth at the centre of the work of the GNU and at the top of the national agenda.”
Ramaphosa said the GNU will pursue every action that contributed to sustainable, rapid economic growth and remove every obstacle that stands in the way of growth.
“We are determined that growth must be inclusive. It must be transformational. Inclusive growth must drive the redistribution of wealth and opportunity.”
He said they would continue to pursue programmes that encourage broad-based black economic empowerment, employment equity and support to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
“We will continue to protect and uphold the hard-won rights of workers, and continually strive to improve the conditions in which they work and live.”
He said the GNU would support the growth of rural enterprises and invest in public infrastructure in under-serviced areas.
“We will increase funding to land reform, prioritise the transfer of state land and improve post-settlement support by strengthening the institutional capacity of responsible structures,” he said.
The president said the GNU has both a constitutional responsibility and a clear electoral mandate to assist municipalities in the effective exercise of their powers and functions.
“As an immediate priority, we will bring stability to governance in our metros and restore the delivery of services.”
Ramaphosa also said in the next five years, they would forge a new inclusive growth path for South Africa by pursuing a massive investment in infrastructure and drive growth in labour-intensive sectors such as services, agriculture, green manufacturing and tourism.
Ramaphosa also said the government will focus on processing minerals so that finished products can be exported rather than raw commodities.
Ramaphosa noted an important task of the next five years was to reduce the high cost of living through ensuring that everyone has equal access to equitable, accessible and affordable quality health care.
“While there is much contestation around the NHI, there is broad agreement that we must draw on the resources and capabilities of both the public and private sectors to meet the health care needs of all South Africans equally.”
Ramaphosa said the GNU would prioritise building a capable, ethical and developmental state.
“We will proceed with the work already underway to professionalise the public service, ensuring that we attract into the state people with skills, capabilities and integrity.
“We will continue to fight corruption and prevent undue political interference in the administration of the state.”
He also said they would complete the work to restore the financial position and operational performance of state-owned enterprises.
“We will complete the implementation of a new centralised ownership model for SOEs. This will improve accountability, transparency, governance and oversight, while reducing inefficiency and the potential for corruption.
The establishment of a state-owned SOE holding company will give us greater capacity to build a sovereign wealth fund.”
Cape Times