Snl24 | Ramaphosa: Mzansi to become giant construction site

South Africa’s President Ramaphosa commits to poverty eradication and national development.

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will dedicate efforts to eradicate poverty.

During his Opening of Parliament Address on Thursday evening, 18 July, he detailed the strategic priorities the GNU will concentrate on over the next five years.

These priorities include fostering inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, addressing the high cost of living, and constructing a capable, ethical, and developmental state.

“To achieve rapid, inclusive growth, we need to rectify our struggling municipalities. Growth occurs at a local level, where people reside and work,” stated Ramaphosa. He mentioned that measures would be implemented to ensure that competent and qualified individuals are appointed to senior positions in municipalities, alongside independent regulation and oversight of the appointment process.

The President expressed the government’s clear intention to transform Mzansi into a bustling construction zone, with the development of roads, bridges, houses, schools, hospitals, and clinics, alongside the installation of broadband fibre and new power lines.

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He reiterated that the R370 grant has been a lifeline for millions of unemployed individuals. “We will utilise this grant as a foundation for introducing a sustainable form of income support for unemployed individuals to tackle the challenge of income poverty,” he said.

He acknowledged that the economy has deteriorated for over a decade.

“Despite the achievements of 30 years of democracy, and the efforts over the last five years to rebuild our economy and society, millions of South Africans remain impoverished, unemployed, and live in a highly unequal society,” Ramaphosa said.

He emphasised that growth must be inclusive and transformational, supporting the empowerment of black South Africans, women, and those previously marginalised economically.

“As an immediate priority, we will bring stability to governance in our metros and restore service delivery. We have already commenced this work. From our largest metros to our deepest rural areas, we are determined to transform our country into a construction site,” he added.

The President highlighted that a crucial task for the next five years is to reduce the high cost of living by ensuring that everyone in South Africa has equal access to equitable, accessible, and affordable quality healthcare.

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