President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined his government's plans for the next five years.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined his government's plans for the next five years.Below is the speech given by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of Parliament on Thursday, 18 July 2024.
I have asked the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces to convene this joint sitting to formally open Parliament on a day that is full of meaning and significance. We are reminded on this day that we have a responsibility to each other; and that our wellbeing and our happiness cannot be separated from those of our fellow woman and man.
Through their votes, they determined that the leaders of our country should set aside their political differences and come together as one to overcome the severe challenges that confront our nation. They have come together, despite their differences, because they share a commitment to a nation that is united, prosperous and inclusive.
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.
It noted with appreciation the commitment and great enthusiasm with which the newly-appointed Ministers and Deputy Ministers as well as Premiers have embarked on their duties.Despite the achievements of 30 years of democracy, and the work undertaken over the last five years to rebuild our economy and our society, millions of South Africans remain poor, unemployed and live in a highly unequal society.
It must support the empowerment of black South Africans and women, and all those who in the past had been relegated to the fringes of the economy. 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.Inclusive growth requires that we remove the social, economic, cultural and other barriers to the full participation of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in the economy.
This approach can encourage businesses to expand and create more jobs in municipal areas. Investors are attracted to areas with reliable and modern infrastructure. We will put in place systems to ensure that capable and qualified people are appointed to senior positions in municipalities, and ensure independent regulation and oversight of the appointment process.
Significant projects are underway around the country in areas such as transport, roads, water, energy and human settlements. We must work to engender a culture of maintenance of public infrastructure, and dedicate resources and establish systems to ensure this. To create more jobs for South Africans, we will focus on processing our minerals so that we export finished products rather than raw commodities.
We will pay particular attention to supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises in townships and rural areas. We will take economic activity to where most of our people live so that more jobs can be created. We will expand and institutionalise these programmes so that more and more young people can participate in job opportunities and skills development.
We have seen, for example, how the Northern Cape has already attracted billions of rands of investment in renewable energy projects. We will see more of these projects taking shape across our country in the months and years to come. As these investments reach fruition more jobs will be created. We will invest in digital identity and payments, expand access to affordable broadband, and increase training for young people in digital skills.
It will also focus on accelerating the release of public land for social housing and redirecting our housing policy to enable people to find affordable homes in areas of their choice. To drive inclusive growth, we need an efficient freight rail network to carry our minerals, agricultural produce and manufactured goods to market.
We will continue with the visa reforms introduced in the last few years to attract skills and investment and grow the tourism sector. Even at a time when many companies are making large profits, millions of South Africans are suffering as a result of rising prices. We must ensure that local governments properly implement the indigent policy so that the old, the infirm and the poor are able to get assistance with the payment of basic services.
We will ensure schools are conducive to education, with enough classrooms, safe and appropriate sanitation facilities, clean water and a daily meal for those who need it. 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.
Around 80 percent of commuter rail corridors are now back in operation, and nearly 300 vandalised stations have been refurbished, providing safer and more efficient services to commuters. In this administration, we will complete the work to restore the financial position and operational performance of our state-owned enterprises.
To tackle crime and corruption we must have capable, sophisticated and independent law enforcement agencies that can fight complex and organised crime. The same may be said of the Government of National Unity that has now been established by ten of the parties represented in this Parliament. As we have done at many important moments in our history, we will seek to forge a common vision and build a comprehensive social compact with a clear programme of action to realise our aspirations for the country.
The second scenario, symbolised by a vulture, painted a picture of a desperate nation governed by a populist coalition whose main objective is self-enrichment and patronage. There is change in the form of governance and reform that leads to the economy growing, with more investment attracted, leading to the reduction of unemployment, inequality and poverty.
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