President Cyril Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa says his government of national unity (GNU) will focus on driving economic growth, combating poverty and building a capable developmental state over the next five years.
In his opening of parliament address on Thursday evening, Ramaphosa said that the cabinet lekgotla held last weekend had agreed upon a minimum programme that had identified its immediate priorities.
Ten parties are in the GNU, set up after the ANC’s loss of its parliamentary majority in the 29 May national and provincial elections, and contributed to the programme through their cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and premiers.
Ramaphosa said they had agreed on a programme 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.
Ramaphosa committed to using infrastructure development to address both backlogs across sectors, including rail, roads, water and electricity, and to draw investment from the private sector for joint projects.
“We have decided to place inclusive economic growth at the centre of the work of the government of national unity and at the top of the national agenda,” he said. “The GNU will pursue every action that contributes to sustainable, rapid economic growth and remove every obstacle that stands in the way of growth.”
Ramaphosa said municipalities needed to be turned around so that they could provide services and facilitate economic growth.
The government would speed up and simplify the regulatory processes to make investment easier and move to address infrastructure backlogs to improve conditions for the business community and residents.
“As the national government, we have both a constitutional responsibility and a clear electoral mandate to assist municipalities in the effective exercise of their powers and functions,” he said.
“We will ensure that the institutional structure and funding model for local government is fit-for-purpose, and that municipalities are financially and operationally sustainable.”
Systems would be put in place to ensure “capable and qualified people” were appointed to key positions and that independent regulation and oversight were carried out in this process, the president said.
Interventions had already started to bring stability to local government and restore service delivery, including in eThekwini, where an administration team has been established.
The eThekwini presidential working group had been in place for some time to assist with the turnaround of the city, Ramaphosa noted, adding: “We will extend the same approach to other metropolitan cities that face serious challenges so that our cities can be engines of growth and dynamic centres of opportunity.”
He said his government would continue with institutional reforms in the water sector to allow for greater private sector investment in bulk infrastructures and improved regulation of water services.
About 80% of the country’s commuter rail corridors were now back in operation and nearly 300 vandalised stations had been refurbished.
“Immediate priority is therefore to complete the recovery of the passenger rail network across the country to enable people to travel from outlying areas to city centres,” he said.
The president promised steps to bring down the cost of living, including the addition of more basic food items to the list of those that are zero rated for VAT.
Ramaphosa committed to the maintenance of the social grant system, which he said was essential in addressing poverty and hunger among the unemployed, and to the provision of job opportunities and skills to young people through the presidential stimulus programme.