By Phenyo Selinda
The government and business sector have once again pledged to work closely together. On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside members of his Cabinet, met with senior business leaders and technical experts to discuss the progress of a partnership launched over a year ago aimed at removing barriers to economic growth.
President Ramaphosa highlighted the strides made since the partnership’s inception, particularly in critical sectors such as electricity, rail, and ports. “The Government of National Unity has reaffirmed its commitment to urgently implement the reform agenda started by the sixth administration, and to restore confidence and sentiment – essential drivers of investment, inclusive economic growth, and job creation,” said the President.
He emphasised the importance of a robust collaboration between government and business, noting that this partnership is vital for fostering economic growth and advancing social progress in South Africa. “Since the start of the partnership just over a year ago, we have made substantial progress towards stabilising the energy sector, improving the performance of our rail and port systems, and strengthening the fight against crime and corruption,” Ramaphosa added.
The President expressed confidence that this collaborative approach would enable the country to overcome its challenges and drive sustainable growth. “As we move forward with this partnership, we will intensify our work to address these pressing issues and expand our efforts to drive employment creation. We know that the challenges ahead are formidable. But with our continued partnership, we are well equipped to navigate these complexities and contribute to sustainable growth for South Africa,” he said.
Business Sector’s Commitment to Growth and Job Creation
Martin Kingston, Chair of the Business for South Africa (B4SA) Steering Committee, praised the partnership as a model of collaboration that has proven effective. He noted that although progress has been slower than anticipated, the partnership has laid a solid foundation for the future. “This is a model of collaboration that has shown its merit and is fit for purpose to drive accelerated growth and jobs in the seventh administration,” Kingston said.
Reflecting on the past year, Kingston acknowledged the significant achievements made but also stressed the need for urgency in implementing reforms. “Over the last year, significant progress has been made and impact has been achieved. While it has not been as swift or extensive as we would have liked, it has gifted us with a blueprint for success in a new era with the GNU. We are keen that the reforms are implemented with urgency. We are very optimistic about the next phase of the partnership,” he stated.
Adrian Gore, Co-convenor of the business delegation, echoed Kingston’s optimism and emphasised the potential for economic growth through continued collaboration. “We welcome President Ramaphosa’s commitment to a new era of partnership at a critical inflection point for the country. In the first phase of our partnership, over 130 CEOs pledged support and business invested more than R260 million and mobilised over 350 experts across the three focal areas,” Gore said.
He highlighted the reduction in load shedding as a visible achievement of the partnership and pointed to the ambitious goals set for the next phase. “Continued momentum could mean we are able to achieve 3% – 5% GDP growth by 2030. We will be launching Phase 2 of our partnership with this ambition in mind,” Gore added.
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