“We want the GNU to work, and it shall work,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa as he echoed the sentiments of the ANC and its partners in the Government of National Unity, on Thursday evening in his Opening of the Parliament Address (OPA) speech.
Applauded every now and then by members of the GNU, Ramaphosa pointed out that the country must be inspired by a group of South African climbers who reached the summit of the Kilimanjaro Mountain and added that their achievement must remind South Africans that as a nation, there is no mountain we cannot climb, and no peak we cannot reach.
The President announced the imminent holding of a National Dialogue, whereby all key stakeholders in the life of the country representing civil society, traditional healers, faith-based organisations, labour, business, cultural workers, sports people and formations representing diverse interests and voices of the citizens of South Africa will participate.
He said a precedence in this regard lies in epic national gatherings like the Congress of the People in 1955 and the Conference for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) in the early 1990’s.
Ramaphosa indicated that the National Health Insurance programme shall go ahead as announced prior to the elections.
He also announced that the Social Relief of Distress initiative for unemployed people, commonly known as R350, has come in handy since its introduction during the times of Covid-19, and that it will serve as a basis for the introduction of a more sustainable form of income support grant for unemployed people.
He revealed that more essential food items will in the long run be exempted from VAT and a review of administered prices including the fuel price formula shall be conducted.
According to Ramaphosa, title deeds for land and subsidised housing will be implemented to provide people with assets that they can use to improve their economic situation.
“Institutional reforms in the water sector will be introduced to enable greater investment in bulk water infrastructure and better regulation of water services across the country,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the second phase of Operation Vulindlela will focus on reforming the local government system and implementing the delivery of basic services and harnessing digital public infrastructure as a driver of growth and inclusivity.
He said the plan for renewable energy and inclusive growth was well under way.
The African Free Trade Area will be implemented so as to increase South Africa’s exports to the rest of the world.
“We will put in place 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,” said Ramaphosa as he hinted at one if the many measures that would be taken by the government in order to improve the functioning of municipalities countrywide.
He added that institutional structure and funding model for local government must be fit-for-purpose.
“Through the Statement of Intent, the ten parties in the GNU have made a firm commitment to a nation that is united, prosperous and inclusive and in all its work, the National Development Plan Vision 2030 remains the defining blueprint for our country’s growth and development,” he said.
Ramaphosa mentioned the following points as being of the utmost importance to the GNU.
1. Inclusive growth that would drive the distribution of wealth and opportunity and support the empowerment of black South African women and all those who in the past have been relegated to the fringes of the economy
2.Public infrastructure development to be accelerated in unserviced areas.
3.Protection and upholding of hard-won workers’ rights and a continual strive to improve conditions wherein they work and live.
4. Barriers to employment and opportunities must be removed for people living with disabilities.
5. Municipalities must become both the providers of social services and also provide inclusive growth and attract investment.
The full speech has been attached: