President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to participate in several key engagements over the coming weeks, beginning with the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed this during a press briefing with media houses to update them on the President’s diary in Cape Town on Wednesday.
President Ramaphosa will attend the BRICS Summit in Russia from Tuesday to Thursday (22- 24 October).
The Russian Federation’s BRICS Chairship in 2024 is under the theme "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security”.
Magwenya highlighted that South Africa’s participation in the summit is aimed at enhancing the country’s growth and development through its membership in BRICS, focusing on strengthening intra-BRICS relations and fostering mutually beneficial cooperation.
This includes advancing political and security cooperation, financial and economic cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people cooperation.
During its BRICS Presidency this year, Russia indicated that it will focus on "promoting the entire range of partnership and cooperation within the framework of the association on three key tracks – politics and security, the economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian ties”.
Responding to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town in August, President Ramamphosa spoke of the value of the BRICS alliance to advancing Africa’s developmental agenda.
As Chair of BRICS last year, South Africa invited representatives from other African countries to attend the summit hosted in Johannesburg. Forty-six African countries attended, including 20 Heads of State and Government.
Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS)
On the domestic front, the President will attend the tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is set to table the MTBPS in Parliament on Wednesday, 30 October. The MTBPS outlines the policy framework for the upcoming budget, including government goals, the economic environment, and projected resource availability.
It offers an analysis of the trade-offs and challenges the nation faces in addressing its priorities, providing an important step forward in the national budget process.
READ | National Treasury announces MTBPS date
“The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement is an important step forward in the budget process. In keeping with our commitment to open, transparent and cooperative policymaking, it invites the nation to share with Government the important choices to be completed,” Magwenya said.
Visit to Limpopo
Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa is scheduled to visit the Limpopo province on Friday, 1 November, where he will meet with Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba and the provincial government executive.
The provincial leadership will present their five-year program which is aligned with the priorities of the seventh administration.
“The meeting will also discuss approaches [to] various service delivery issues including interventions to improve service delivery at local government level,” Magwenya said.
KwaZulu-Natal DDM Oversight Visit
On Thursday, 7 November, the President will meet with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and members of the provincial government in Durban.
This meeting will be followed by a District Development Model (DDM) oversight visit to the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality which includes a Presidential Imbizo on Friday, 8 November.
The visit aims to assess the progress of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group, which was established earlier this year to address service delivery and development challenges in the area.
Last week Cabinet called on residents to join the imbizo and engage their public representatives.
“Cabinet calls on residents of Umgababa and the surrounding areas to join the imbizo and engage their public representatives on solutions to challenges in their community and find ways to improve service delivery,” it said in a statement following its fortnightly meeting.
The imbizo is set to be held at the Umnini Sportsfield in Ward 98.
Cabinet adopted the DDM in August 2019.
The DDM is an integrated planning model for cooperative governance aimed at fast-tracking service delivery. It seeks to ensure that municipalities are adequately supported and resourced to carry out their mandate.
READ | President Ramaphosa to lead Presidential Imbizo in KZN
The first Presidential Imbizo of the seventh administration was held in Tsakane in Gauteng in August.
The Presidency said the President’s engagements highlight his commitment to addressing national priorities, both domestically and internationally, with a focus on economic growth, improved governance and enhanced service delivery. – SAnews.gov.za
