Quality of Implementation of Our Policies and Programs at the Center of the Second Phase of the Transition in South Africa
By Cyril Ramaphosa
We have come to the end of three days of deliberations in which we have given content to the direction we are giving to Comrades deployed in government and cadres in various structures of the ANC and its Allies.
All of us have been invigorated and ready to participate in the comprehensive review of the discussions and decisions of this meeting. We discussed the Political Overview of the President and the NWC Reports to the National Executive Committee on the State of the Organization that was presented by the Secretary General. We also deliberated on the detailed Analysis of National and Provincial elections from 2004 to 2014, especially the performance of the ANC in those elections.
The meeting discussed the downward trend of electoral support brought into sharp focus in the last elections. One of the findings of serious concern is the loss of support in the Metros as they are the centres of economic power. Questions were raised about the fickleness of the middle-class and our apparent disconnection with the urban poor especially in the informal settlements.
The meeting agreed that there is need for a dedicated discussion of these issues as they raise strategic questions about the changing character of our population and the implications thereof on our strategy and tactics. The urgency of this discussion is underlinedby the coming local Government Elections in 2016, just two years from now.
The NWC Report pointed to some of the organizational challenges we have faced especially during the 2014 Election Campaign and the appointments to the Cabinet and the Executive Councils. The NEC directed the Provinces that failed to comply with its last decision on gender representivity in the appointment of Members of the Executive Council to rectify this at the earliest opportunity.
The NEC also discussed reports from the Economic Transformation Committee, including a report on the Macro-Economic and Fiscal Outlook. I want to underline two points arising from these reports. First is that the 2014 Manifesto Priorities are funded. This includes the funding of the National Infrastructure Programme of the country. The second point is that the country is going through difficult economic circumstances. The NEC underlined the damaging effects of workplace conflict, especially the long drawn-out strike in the mining industry and how it has contributed to the contraction of the economy in the first quarter of 2014.
We framed all our discussions around the Election Manifesto and the National Development Plan.These are the issues that constitute our Electoral Compact with thepeople of our country. I think it is fair to say that the directives we have given to the deployed cadres and all of us here will be read together with the indications in that presentation.
Comrades have worked industriously in the five commissions that strove to flesh out what is expected of the ANC deployeesin the Fifth Administration. The meeting has discussed the reports of the Commissions in fair amount of detail. The running theme has been that we must move on from restating decisions we have taken in past meetings and focus on what has been achieved, the gaps and what will be done to improve the quality of implementation to build a better life for all our people.
The fact that the Economic Transformation Commission was asked to improve its report underlines the seriousness with which we are applying ourselves to the mandate of the 53rd National Conference that we should urgently raise the levels of growth and job-creation so we can improve people's conditions of life.
Among the key priorities of the Fifth Administration is the implementation of an Energy Master Plan to unlock the economic potential of the country. This pertains to the energy mix of electricity, gas and shale gas, petroleum and nuclear energy. Again the emphasis here is moving beyond discussion to implementation.
Public investment in this regard aims to crowd in private investment while simultaneously enhancing the role of the State and expanding black participation in the economy. The plan also emphasizes developing capacity in critical skills required in the Energy Build Programme so that increasingly skilled South Africans are employed in the all projects. The issue of skills development is integral on all the major initiatives of the Fifth Administration.
The meeting also underlined the implementation of plans to leverage State Owned Entities and Development Finance Institutions in the expansion of the productive sector in line with the New Growth Path, Industrial Action Plan and the National Development Plan. In this regard we must identify pointers to 'radical economic transformation' in the context of changing the structure of the economy, increasing labour-absorption, ensuring that Black people become full and equal participants at all levels of the economy and, critically, absorbing as many young people as possible into economic activity.
Education remains the Apex Priority of the ANC Government. The Report of the Education and Health Commission underlines this. Picking up from the resolutions of the 53rd National Conference, National Development Plan 2030 and the 2014 Election Manifesto, it talks to focusing on improving the quality and efficiency of the education system.
It talks to implementation of plans to increase the numbers of learners taking Mathematics, Science and Technology. It also talks to implementation of plans to improve scholar transport, procurement and delivery of books and learner material, and redirecting the National School Nutrition Program to capacitate Cooperatives. The health of our people also remains a key priority. The meeting agreed with the Commission report that the National Health Insurance White paper shall include the proposal that Central Hospitals should be transferred to the National Sphere.
The meeting gave close attention to issues related to improving the performance of local government. This requires improved efficiency on their part, serious application to core mandates by political and managerial deployees alike, observation of rules and regulations and elimination of corruption. In this regard we agreed that deployment into local councils, especially in the Metros shall take full account of their strategic importance in the economic and social life of South Africa. We again agreed that appointments to key positions in the municipalities must be based on competence and that the tendency to interfere in the appointment processes by political structures in some areas should be eliminated.
The discussion of the Report of the Peace and Stability Commission again underlined the urgent need for the ANC Government to be tough on corruption. Immediate and action shall be taken to demonstrate our resolve for zero tolerance of corruption, including asking members of the movement to step down from public positions if they are found guilty of wrong-doing as resolved at the 53rd national Conference. Resolute action shall also be taken against private sector enterprises involved in corrupt activities such as bid-rigging, inflating prices and collusion.
We can no longer credibly plead insufficient information, lack of experience, slow bureaucracy or any other reason for failing to heed the cries of our people which we clearly heard during the election campaign. This is the moment clearly and practically to demonstrate to our people that we have heard them; that we are humbled by the mandate they have given us; and that we shall move South Africa forward, faster.
To achieve this, we need to work with all sectors of society, to lift the economy to a higher growth path to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the state and improve people's lives. We therefore expect government to concretise all the decisions we have adopted into practical plans that will inform both the Medium Term Strategic Framework and the State of the Nation Address.
Most importantly, our people expect a sense of urgency in what we do as the ANC and as government. We should not disappoint them! It is not possible to overemphasize the important of a united ANC and the Alliance more broadly. It is the responsibility of every cadre to work for this.
We also wish that the President should get well soon!
--This is an edited extract of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's closing remarks at the ANC NEC Lekgotla. Cyril Ramaphosa is the ANC Deputy President and Deputy President of the Republic
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| Cyril Ramaphosa addressed a post-election conference of the ANC. |
We have come to the end of three days of deliberations in which we have given content to the direction we are giving to Comrades deployed in government and cadres in various structures of the ANC and its Allies.
All of us have been invigorated and ready to participate in the comprehensive review of the discussions and decisions of this meeting. We discussed the Political Overview of the President and the NWC Reports to the National Executive Committee on the State of the Organization that was presented by the Secretary General. We also deliberated on the detailed Analysis of National and Provincial elections from 2004 to 2014, especially the performance of the ANC in those elections.
The meeting discussed the downward trend of electoral support brought into sharp focus in the last elections. One of the findings of serious concern is the loss of support in the Metros as they are the centres of economic power. Questions were raised about the fickleness of the middle-class and our apparent disconnection with the urban poor especially in the informal settlements.
The meeting agreed that there is need for a dedicated discussion of these issues as they raise strategic questions about the changing character of our population and the implications thereof on our strategy and tactics. The urgency of this discussion is underlinedby the coming local Government Elections in 2016, just two years from now.
The NWC Report pointed to some of the organizational challenges we have faced especially during the 2014 Election Campaign and the appointments to the Cabinet and the Executive Councils. The NEC directed the Provinces that failed to comply with its last decision on gender representivity in the appointment of Members of the Executive Council to rectify this at the earliest opportunity.
The NEC also discussed reports from the Economic Transformation Committee, including a report on the Macro-Economic and Fiscal Outlook. I want to underline two points arising from these reports. First is that the 2014 Manifesto Priorities are funded. This includes the funding of the National Infrastructure Programme of the country. The second point is that the country is going through difficult economic circumstances. The NEC underlined the damaging effects of workplace conflict, especially the long drawn-out strike in the mining industry and how it has contributed to the contraction of the economy in the first quarter of 2014.
We framed all our discussions around the Election Manifesto and the National Development Plan.These are the issues that constitute our Electoral Compact with thepeople of our country. I think it is fair to say that the directives we have given to the deployed cadres and all of us here will be read together with the indications in that presentation.
Comrades have worked industriously in the five commissions that strove to flesh out what is expected of the ANC deployeesin the Fifth Administration. The meeting has discussed the reports of the Commissions in fair amount of detail. The running theme has been that we must move on from restating decisions we have taken in past meetings and focus on what has been achieved, the gaps and what will be done to improve the quality of implementation to build a better life for all our people.
The fact that the Economic Transformation Commission was asked to improve its report underlines the seriousness with which we are applying ourselves to the mandate of the 53rd National Conference that we should urgently raise the levels of growth and job-creation so we can improve people's conditions of life.
Among the key priorities of the Fifth Administration is the implementation of an Energy Master Plan to unlock the economic potential of the country. This pertains to the energy mix of electricity, gas and shale gas, petroleum and nuclear energy. Again the emphasis here is moving beyond discussion to implementation.
Public investment in this regard aims to crowd in private investment while simultaneously enhancing the role of the State and expanding black participation in the economy. The plan also emphasizes developing capacity in critical skills required in the Energy Build Programme so that increasingly skilled South Africans are employed in the all projects. The issue of skills development is integral on all the major initiatives of the Fifth Administration.
The meeting also underlined the implementation of plans to leverage State Owned Entities and Development Finance Institutions in the expansion of the productive sector in line with the New Growth Path, Industrial Action Plan and the National Development Plan. In this regard we must identify pointers to 'radical economic transformation' in the context of changing the structure of the economy, increasing labour-absorption, ensuring that Black people become full and equal participants at all levels of the economy and, critically, absorbing as many young people as possible into economic activity.
Education remains the Apex Priority of the ANC Government. The Report of the Education and Health Commission underlines this. Picking up from the resolutions of the 53rd National Conference, National Development Plan 2030 and the 2014 Election Manifesto, it talks to focusing on improving the quality and efficiency of the education system.
It talks to implementation of plans to increase the numbers of learners taking Mathematics, Science and Technology. It also talks to implementation of plans to improve scholar transport, procurement and delivery of books and learner material, and redirecting the National School Nutrition Program to capacitate Cooperatives. The health of our people also remains a key priority. The meeting agreed with the Commission report that the National Health Insurance White paper shall include the proposal that Central Hospitals should be transferred to the National Sphere.
The meeting gave close attention to issues related to improving the performance of local government. This requires improved efficiency on their part, serious application to core mandates by political and managerial deployees alike, observation of rules and regulations and elimination of corruption. In this regard we agreed that deployment into local councils, especially in the Metros shall take full account of their strategic importance in the economic and social life of South Africa. We again agreed that appointments to key positions in the municipalities must be based on competence and that the tendency to interfere in the appointment processes by political structures in some areas should be eliminated.
The discussion of the Report of the Peace and Stability Commission again underlined the urgent need for the ANC Government to be tough on corruption. Immediate and action shall be taken to demonstrate our resolve for zero tolerance of corruption, including asking members of the movement to step down from public positions if they are found guilty of wrong-doing as resolved at the 53rd national Conference. Resolute action shall also be taken against private sector enterprises involved in corrupt activities such as bid-rigging, inflating prices and collusion.
We can no longer credibly plead insufficient information, lack of experience, slow bureaucracy or any other reason for failing to heed the cries of our people which we clearly heard during the election campaign. This is the moment clearly and practically to demonstrate to our people that we have heard them; that we are humbled by the mandate they have given us; and that we shall move South Africa forward, faster.
To achieve this, we need to work with all sectors of society, to lift the economy to a higher growth path to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the state and improve people's lives. We therefore expect government to concretise all the decisions we have adopted into practical plans that will inform both the Medium Term Strategic Framework and the State of the Nation Address.
Most importantly, our people expect a sense of urgency in what we do as the ANC and as government. We should not disappoint them! It is not possible to overemphasize the important of a united ANC and the Alliance more broadly. It is the responsibility of every cadre to work for this.
We also wish that the President should get well soon!
--This is an edited extract of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's closing remarks at the ANC NEC Lekgotla. Cyril Ramaphosa is the ANC Deputy President and Deputy President of the Republic
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