Greater efficiency and the alignment of priorities will define the newly constituted seventh administration.
“What will define the seventh administration is strategic alignment of priorities, greater efficiencies, focus and the optimal use of resources,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday.
Replying to the Opening of Parliament Address (OPA) debate, President Ramaphosa said South Africans expect government to chart the country towards the ultimate goal of a better life for all.
“As we said, our priorities are inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state,” President Ramaphosa said.
President Ramaphosa said during much of the sixth administration, government worked to address the challenges that impeded growth, such as state capture, lack of reforms, COVID-19 and others.
“We also worked to overcome the silo mentality that pervaded the work of government, and which in the past had contributed to inefficiency, duplication and wastage of resources.”
He said the Government of National Unity (GNU) must demonstrate in word and deed that the seventh administration is an era of a government of national unity and not a fleeting convenience.
“At the same time, we all understand what is expected of us by those who put us here,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President who delivered the OPA on Thursday, said it was important to examine the progress made by the nation in addressing the “the challenges our people face.”
READ | 'We will succeed' - President Ramaphosa on prospects of GNU
Last year, South Africa submitted its third country report to the United Nations (UN) on its progress towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The President said the UN report highlighted important trends towards meeting SDG targets in eradicating poverty and hunger, in good health and well-being, in inclusive and equitable quality education, in the provision of clean water and sanitation, in climate action, in building strong institutions for peace and justice and others.
He added that government’s 30 Year Review report and the results of Census 2022 are testament to the considerable progress the democratic state has made in pursuing equitable and sustainable development.
“On eradicating poverty and hunger, more indigent South Africans are accessing grants as part of an extensive social security net to mitigate the worst effects of poverty.
“Sixty percent of our national budget is spent on the social wage and programmes vital to reducing poverty and supporting the poor.
“When the worst global health emergency in modern times struck in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to shelter society’s most vulnerable through the provision of special COVID grants, a scheme to support workers’ wages, and support to businesses affected by the lockdowns,” the President said.
READ | Government creates better life during 30 years of democracy
President Ramaphosa said over the next five years, government will be putting further programmes in place to reduce poverty and mitigate the effects of the high cost of living, especially on the poorest of the poor.
NHI
With regards to the National Health Insurance (NHI), President Ramaphosa said a key task for government over the next five years will be to ensure that everyone in South Africa has equal access to affordable quality healthcare through the implementation of health insurance.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to implement universal health coverage in a manner that brings all South Africans on board. We will continue with dialogues, with exchanges, with interactions to make this an important programme for our people,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
