Ramaphosa: 'We Need to Be Builders, Not Breakers or Destroyers'

President Cyril Ramaphosa has rebuked some opposition parties, calling them out for resorting to race-baiting and ethnic chauvinism while debating his opening of Parliament speech last week.

President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to the debate on his Opening of Parliament Address on 22 July 2024. Picture: @GovernmentZA/X

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has rebuked some opposition parties, calling them out for resorting to race-baiting and ethnic chauvinism while debating his opening of Parliament speech last week. 

He said that the name-calling had been regrettable. 

Responding to the debate in Parliament on Monday, Ramaphosa said that his Government of National Unity would not allow its work programme to be derailed by sowers of disunity.

Responding in turn to comments made by several of his new Cabinet ministers, the president took up the challenge posed by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to address the national question. 

"Not only do we need to have frank and honest conversations about how race continues to define the prospects of our people, but we need to pursue policies that resolve these contradictions in our economy and society."

He also borrowed from the words of agriculture minister and Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, John Steenhuisen, in the GNU's pledge to scale up development. 

"We need to be builders, not breakers or destroyers. We need to be weavers not vultures."

Ramaphosa said that inclusive growth would be the at centre of his government’s efforts to build a non-racial society.