Pretoria – Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, on Friday said Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a South Africa delegation to the 26th World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa to be held in Rwanda.
The summit will take place from 11 - 13 May 2016. The forum will be hosted under the theme ‘Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation’.
Addressing a post Cabinet media briefing in Cape Town, Minister Radebe said government, through its Nine-Point Plan, is advancing the country’s own digital transformation.
“It is rolling out the first phase of its broadband initiative that will connect more than 5 000 government facilities in eight district municipalities over a three-year period. Funding to the tune of R740 million has been allocated in support of the rollout,” he said.
Indaba 2016
Minister Radebe also announced that South Africa will host Indaba 2016 at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban from 7 - 9 May 2016. The Pan-African platform will promote tourism products to international buyers.
“Tourism, as one of the six pillars of economic growth of the National Development Plan, contributed R357 billion to our gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 and supported 9% of total employment in South Africa.
“The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that tourism will contribute R560 billion to our GDP by 2025 and will support over two million jobs,” he said.
University of Fort Hare
Minister Radebe also announced that on 20 May, government will lead the national celebration of the centenary of the University of Fort Hare at the Alice campus in the Eastern Cape.
In preparation for the main celebration, President Jacob Zuma has established an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to plan and coordinate the historic centenary celebration.
“This historic learning institution served as a beacon during our struggle for freedom and is also known as the ‘crucible of African leadership’, with it being the alma mater of anti-apartheid struggle figures such as the great ZK Matthews, Nelson Mandela, Robert Sobukwe, Oliver Tambo and Govan Mbeki.
“It is the only Southern African university to have produced five heads of state: Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Yusuf Lule of Uganda, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Ntsu Mokhehle of Lesotho and Sir Seretse Khama of Botswana,” he said.
Africa Month
Cabinet was also briefed on plans by the Department of Arts and Culture to host Africa Month in May 2016 under the theme ‘Building a Better Africa and a Better World’, as part of the continent’s celebration of the establishment of the Organisation of Africa Unity (now the African Union) and the work it has done.
“In 2016, Africa Month will focus on women and youth development initiatives, while we commemorate the 60th year of the Women’s March and the 40th year of the Youth Uprisings in Soweto,” the Minister said.
South Africans are urged to participate in the multi-disciplinary programme that involves a wide range of activities including visual arts, theatre, music, lectures and colloquia as well as the 10th anniversary of the African World Heritage Fund.
Africa Month serves as a platform to reconnect and recommit ourselves to Pan Africanism and African Renaissance in bringing the people of the continent closer. – SAnews.gov.za
