President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled the key priorities of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in his Opening of Parliament Address at the Cape Town City Hall yesterday. These priorities arise from the GNU's programme and were supported by its members in the cabinet lekgotla, held previously, which brought together all the newly appointed ministers, deputy ministers and premiers, local government representatives, directors-general and other key officials.
President Ramaphosa said Cabinet will be convening a further strategy session to consider the GNU's Medium-Term Development Plan, which will translate the 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," said President Ramaphosa.
Meanwhile, National Development Plan Vision 2030 remains the defining blueprint for South Africa's growth and development and the GNU's programme is in line with that vision, the President explained. The new government will also draw inspiration for the Medium-Term Development Plan from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union's Agenda 2063.
President Ramaphosa told the joint sitting of Parliament that despite the achievements of 30 years of democracy and the work undertaken over the last five years to rebuild the economy, millions of South Africans remain poor and unemployed and live in a highly unequal society. "For a decade and a half, our economy has barely grown. The GNU has resolved to dedicate the next five years to actions that will advance three strategic priorities," he stressed.
These are: 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. President Ramaphosa said the GNU has decided to place inclusive economic growth at the centre of the national agenda.
President Ramaphosa said the past 30 years have shown that when the economy grows, jobs are created and when it contracts there is no job creation and jobs are lost. The GNU will pursue every action that contributes to sustainable, "rapid economic growth and remove every obstacle that stands in the way of growth," he said.
The GNU is determined that growth must be inclusive and transformational and it must drive the redistribution of wealth and opportunity, the President said. "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. This is part of the constitutional imperative to redress the imbalances of the past and deal with the slow process of development," he emphasised.
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He assured the joint sitting of Parliament that the government will continue to pursue programmes that encourage broad-based black economic empowerment, employment equity and which provide support to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
On the rights of workers, President Ramaphosa said the GNU will continue to protect and uphold the hard-won rights of workers and will continually strive to improve the conditions in which they work and live. He also emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring the participation in the economy of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Mava Lukani
