PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa declared on Thursday that South Africa’s newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU) will focus on fostering inclusive growth, creating jobs, and reducing poverty. Speaking at the opening of the Seventh Parliament in Cape Town, Ramaphosa emphasised the centrality of inclusive economic growth to the GNU’s agenda.
‘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,’ Ramaphosa stated.
Ramaphosa highlighted the direct correlation between economic growth and job creation. ‘Our experience over the past 30 years has shown that when our economy grows, jobs are created. When our economy contracts, there is no job creation and jobs are lost,’ he noted.
The President underscored the GNU’s commitment to pursuing all actions that contribute to sustainable and rapid economic growth while removing obstacles that hinder progress.
The GNU aims to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and transformational, driving the redistribution of wealth and opportunity. ‘Growth 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,’ Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa explained that the move is part of a constitutional imperative to redress the imbalances caused by apartheid and address the slow pace of development. ‘Inclusive growth demands that we affirm the position of women and youth in the economy. It 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,’ he added.
Following the national and provincial elections held on May 29, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority after ruling South Africa without a coalition for the last three decades. To form the GNU, the ANC reached an agreement with nine other parties, and Ramaphosa appointed members from these parties to his Cabinet as ministers and deputy ministers.
The new government structure aims to leverage this coalition to drive forward its ambitious agenda, focusing on inclusive growth, job creation, and the reduction of poverty, thereby ensuring a more equitable and prosperous future for all South Africans.
