Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thandi Modise,
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Amos Masondo,
Deputy President David Mabuza,
Former President Thabo Mbeki and Mrs Mbeki,
Former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka,
Former Deputy President Baleka Mbete,
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and esteemed members of the judiciary,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable Members of the National Assembly,
Honourable Members of the National Council of Provinces,
Dean of the European Region, representing the Diplomatic Corps, HE Mr
Beka Dvali,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow South Africans,
On this day, 31 years ago, President Nelson Mandela walked out of the
gates of Victor Verster prison a free person, a living embodiment of the
resilience and courage of the South African people.
For nearly 40 million years an extraordinary ecosystem has existed here
at the southernmost tip of our continent.
The fynbos biome, which stretches across the Cape, has among the most
distinctive features of any plants found on earth.
It can adapt to dry, hot summers and cold rainy winters. It is wondrous
in its diversity.
Our national flower the Protea is a species of fynbos.
When I opened the third National Investment Conference last year I spoke
of the Protea's unique properties that in so many ways resemble our national
character.
What is most unique and special about fynbos is that to be sustainable
and survive, it needs fire.
At least once every twenty years, fynbos must burn at extremely high
temperatures to allow the ecosystem to be rejuvenated and grow afresh.
Throughout the summer, the burned foliage lies desolate. But when the
autumn rains return, the seeds germinate, and its life cycle begins all over
again.
The mountains bloom with new life as plants which once seemed lost grow
back even stronger than before.
We, the people of South Africa, have over the past year experienced a
terrible hardship.
Like a wildfire that sweeps across the mountainous ranges where the
fynbos grows, a deadly pandemic has swept across the world, leaving devastation
in its path.
And
yet, like the hardy fynbos of our native land, we too have proven to be
resilient in many ways.
For
three centuries we were victims of oppression, dispossession and injustice.
And
for three centuries we resisted.
The
flames of injustice may have scarred us, but they did not consume us.
The
rains of democracy brought rejuvenation and the birth of a new nation.
We
have risen time and time again from the depths of darkness to herald a new day.
As
we look on the grave damage that this disease has caused, we know that like the
fynbos, like all those who have walked this land before us, we will rise again.
Nearly
a year has passed since South Africa saw its first case of the novel
coronavirus, COVID-19.
Since
then, nearly one-and-a-half million people in our country are known to have
been infected by the virus.
More
than 45,000 people are known to have died.
Beyond
these statistics lies a human story of tragedy and pain.
There
is no family, no community, and no place of work that has not lost someone they
knew, worked with, and loved.
It
is also a story of courage and resilience.
The
resilience of the hospital worker who – day after day, night after night – goes
to work to save lives, knowing that they themselves are at risk of infection.
It
is a wonderful account of the courage of the police officer, the soldier, the
essential worker, the carer and all those on the frontline who have kept our
country safe, our people fed and our economy going.
It
is a story of solidarity and compassion.
Of
a nation that has stood together to confront COVID-19 in ways not seen since
the early days of our democracy.
More
than anything else, this crisis has revealed the true character of our
remarkable nation.
It
has revealed a spirit of the people who refused to be defeated.
It
is this South African spirit that must drive our resolve to build a new and
more equal economy and a better, more just society.
The
year ahead must be a time for change, for progress and for rebirth.
It
must be a year in which we rise.
This
is no ordinary year, and this is no ordinary State of the Nation Address.
I
will therefore focus this evening on the foremost, overriding priorities of
2021.
First,
we must defeat the coronavirus pandemic.
Second,
we must accelerate our economic recovery.
Third,
we must implement economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive
inclusive growth.
And
finally, we must fight corruption and strengthen the state.
In
the coming weeks, we will address the other important elements of government’s
programme for the year.
Fundamental
to our nation’s recovery is an unrelenting and comprehensive response to
overcome the coronavirus.
South
Africa has just emerged from the second wave of infections since COVID-19
arrived on our shores in March last year.
Driven
by a new variant of the virus, this second wave was more severe and cost many
more lives than the first wave.
Nevertheless,
the human cost could have been far greater.
Had
we not moved quickly to restrict movement and activity, had we not prepared our
health facilities, had South Africans not observed the basic health protocols,
the devastation caused by this virus could have been far worse.
This
year, we must do everything in our means to contain and overcome this pandemic.
This
means intensifying our prevention efforts and strengthening our health system.
It
also means that we must undertake a massive vaccination programme to save lives
and dramatically reduce infections across the population.
Earlier
this week, we were informed that one of the vaccines that we had procured, the
AstraZeneca vaccine offers minimal protection from mild to moderate infection
by the new variant known as 501Y.v2.
This
is according to early findings of a study by our scientists and researchers.
We
applaud these scientists for leading this research and providing new evidence
that is vital for guiding our response.
Since
this variant is now the dominant variant in our country, these findings have
significant implications for the pace, design and sequencing of our vaccine
programme.
While
it should not delay the start of the vaccination programme by much, it will
affect the choice of vaccines and the manner of their deployment.
The first phase of our
vaccination programme, which is targeted at health and other frontline workers,
will now use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been shown to be
effective against the 501Y.V2 variant.
We have secured 9 million
doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The first batch, of 80,000
doses, will arrive in the country next week.
Further consignments will
arrive over the next four weeks, totalling 500,000 Johnson & Johnson
vaccines.
All provinces have roll-out
plans in place as the first vaccines come through.
I wish to thank all
provinces for their level of preparedness for this massive undertaking that we
are about to embark upon.
In addition, we have secured
12 million vaccine doses from the global COVAX facility.
This will be complemented by
other vaccines that are available to South Africa through the AU’s African
Vaccine Acquisition Task Team facility as well.
Pfizer has committed 20
million vaccine doses commencing with deliveries at the end of the first
quarter.
We are continuing our
engagements with all the vaccine manufacturers to ensure that we secure
sufficient quantities of vaccines that are suitable to our conditions.
The health and safety of our
people remains our paramount concern.
All medication imported into
the country is monitored, evaluated, investigated, inspected and registered by
the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
We will continue to use the
science-driven approach that has served us well since the earliest days of the
pandemic.
The success of the
vaccination programme will rely on active collaboration between all sectors of
society.
We are greatly encouraged by
the active involvement of business, labour, the health industry and medical
schemes in particular in preparing for this mass vaccination drive.
As
we have overcome before, we will overcome again and rise.
But
it is not just this disease that we must defeat.
We
must overcome poverty and hunger, joblessness and inequality.
We
must overcome a legacy of exclusion and dispossession that continues to
impoverish our people, and which this pandemic has severely worsened.
When
I delivered the State of the Nation Address in this House last year, none of us
could have imagined how – within a matter of weeks – our country and our world
would have changed so dramatically.
Our
plans had to be adapted in response to a global emergency.
Budgets
had to be reprioritised and many programmes had to be deferred.
Over
the past year, South Africa has experienced a sharp decline in growth and a
significant increase in unemployment.
Poverty
is on the rise. Inequality is deepening.
In
the third quarter of 2020, our economy was 6% percent smaller than it was in
the last quarter of 2019.
There
were 1.7 million fewer people employed in the third quarter of 2020 than there
were in the first quarter, before the pandemic struck.
Our
unemployment rate now stands at a staggering 30.8%.
As
a result of the relief measures that we implemented and the phased reopening of
the economy, we expect to see a strong recovery in employment by the end of
2020.
As
we worked to contain the spread of the virus, we also had to take extraordinary
measures to support ordinary South Africans, assist businesses in distress and
protect people’s livelihoods.
The
social and economic relief package that we introduced in April last year is the
largest intervention of its kind in our history.
It
identified measures worth a total of R500 billion – or about 10% of our GDP –
to provide cash directly to the poorest households, to provide wage support to
workers and to provide various forms of relief to struggling businesses.
A total
of 18 million people, or close to one-third of the population, received
additional grant payments through these relief measures.
It
is estimated that this grant lifted more than 5 million people above the food
poverty line, helping to alleviate hunger in a moment of great crisis.
To
date, more than R57 billion in wage support has been paid to over 4.5 million
workers through the Special UIF TERS scheme.
More
than R1.3 billion has been provided in support mainly for small- and
medium-sized businesses.
In
addition, over R70 billion in tax relief was extended to businesses in
distress.
Around
R18.9 billion in loans have been approved for 13,000 businesses through the
loan guarantee scheme.
Fellow
South Africans,
It
is nearly four months since I stood here before a Joint Sitting of this
Parliament to present to the nation the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan.
This
evening, we stand here not to make promises but to report on progress in the
implementation of the recovery plan and the priority actions we must now take
to restore growth and create jobs.
Since
the launch of the plan, we have focused on four priority interventions:
-
a massive rollout of infrastructure
throughout the country,
-
a massive increase in local production,
-
an employment stimulus to create jobs and
support livelihoods,
-
the rapid expansion of our energy
generation capacity.
We
announced that we would be embarking on a massive rollout of infrastructure
throughout the country.
We
knew that to achieve this objective we would need to steadily rebuild technical
skills within government to prepare and manage large infrastructure projects.
We
have now developed an infrastructure investment project pipeline worth R340
billion in network industries such as energy, water, transport and
telecommunications.
Construction
has started and progress is being made on a number of projects.
Since
the announcement of the Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, we have launched two
major human settlements projects that will provide homes to almost 68,000
households in the Gauteng province.
Similar
human settlements projects are planned in other provinces.
Two
years ago I spoke about the dream of building new cities that will enable us to
make a break with apartheid’s spatial development.
New
post-apartheid cities are being conceptualised in a number of places in our
country.
The
Lanseria Smart City, the first new city to be built in a democratic South
Africa, is now a reality in the making.
The
draft masterplan for this smart city – which will become home to between
350,000 to 500,000 people within the next decade – was completed in November
2020 and is now out for public comment.
Progress
is being made on several major water infrastructure projects.
These
include Phase 2A of the Mokolo and Crocodile River project, and the uMkhomazi
Water Project.
The
Infrastructure Investment Plan identifies roads projects worth R19 billion
covering the spine of the South African road network.
Work
is underway to finalise project finance structuring for these projects.
Resources
have been committed from the fiscus to support the construction and
rehabilitation of the major N1, N2, and N3 highways.
These
infrastructure projects will lead to the revival of the construction industry
and the creation of much-needed jobs.
The
R100 billion Infrastructure Fund is now in full operation.
This
Fund will blend resources from the fiscus with financing from the private
sector and development institutions.
Its
approved project pipeline for 2021 is varied and includes the Student Housing
Infrastructure Programme, which aims to provide 300,000 student beds.
Another
approved project is SA Connect, a programme to roll out broadband to schools,
hospitals, police stations and other government facilities.
The
second priority intervention of the Recovery Plan is to support a massive
increase in local production and to make South African exports globally
competitive.
This
will encourage greater investment by the private sector in productive activity.
Key
to this plan is a renewed commitment from government, business and organised
labour to buy local.
This
commitment should lead to increased local production, which will lead to the
revival of our manufacturing industry.
All
social partners who participated in the development of the Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan as part of our social compact have agreed to
work together to reduce our reliance on imports by 20% over the next five
years.
They
have identified 42 products – ranging from edible oils to furniture, fruit
concentrates, personal protective equipment, steel products and green economy
inputs – that can be sourced locally.
If
we achieve our target, we will significantly expand our productive economy,
potentially returning more than R200 billion to the country’s annual output.
Last
year, we undertook to create a larger market for small businesses and designate
1,000 locally produced products that must be procured from SMMEs.
As
the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of global value chains, we have been
able to speed up this initiative as the local supply chains became open for locally
manufactured products.
To
this end, Cabinet approved the SMME Focused Localisation Policy Framework which
identified the 1,000 products.
Furthermore,
the departments of Small Business Development and Trade, Industry and
Competition are supporting SMMEs to access larger domestic and international
markets.
These
efforts are supported by robust manufacturing support programmes.
In
the State of the Nation Address last year, I said that our vision for
industrialisation is underpinned by sector master plans to rejuvenate and grow
key industries.
Four
master plans that have been completed and signed to date – which are part of
the social compact between labour, business, government and communities – have
already had an impact in their respective industries.
Through
the implementation of the poultry master plan, the industry has invested R800
million to upgrade production.
South
Africa now produces an additional one million chickens every week.
The
sugar master plan was signed during the lockdown, with a commitment from large
users of sugar to procure at least 80% of their sugar needs from local growers.
Through
the implementation of the plan, last year saw a rise in local production and a
decline in imported sugar, creating stability for an industry which employs
some 85,000 workers.
Support
for black small-scale farmers is being stepped up, with a large beverage
producer committing to expand their procurement sharply.
Since
the signing of the clothing, textile, footwear and leather masterplan in
November 2019, the industry has invested more than half a billion rand to
expand local manufacturing facilities, including SMMEs.
We
have worked closely with the auto sector to help it weather the pandemic.
By
the end of the year, the sector had recovered around 70% of its normal annual
production, in difficult circumstances.
Last
week, the Ford Motor Company announced a R16 billion investment to expand their
manufacturing facility in Tshwane for the next generation Ford Ranger bakkie.
This
investment will support the growth of around 12 small and medium enterprises in
automotive component manufacturing.
Nearly
half of the procurement spend on construction of the bulk earthworks and top
structure at the Tshwane Special Economic Zone during this phase is expected to
be allocated for SMMEs, an amount equal to R1.7 billion in procurement
opportunities.
Toyota
has invested in their KwaZulu-Natal facility to start production of the first
generation of hybrid electric vehicles to come off a South African assembly
line.
This
follows investment announcements by Nissan, Mercedes Benz and Isuzu in expanded
production facilities, all of which cement South Africa’s position as a global
player in auto manufacturing.
This
year, our focus will be on getting the industry back to full production,
implementing the Black Industrialist Fund and working on a new platform for
expanded auto trade with the rest of the continent.
This
will be part of our concerted effort to boost the manufacturing sector.
This
year, we will begin to harness the opportunities presented by the African
Continental Free Trade Area, which came into operation on the 1st of January
following the adoption of the Johannesburg Declaration by the African Union.
The
AfCFTA provides a platform for the South African businesses to expand into
markets across the continent, and for South Africa to position itself as a
gateway to the continent.
To
address the deep inequalities in our society, we must accelerate the
implementation of broad-based black economic empowerment policies on ownership,
control and management of the economy.
Last
year, government agreed to landmark deals with companies that will advance
black economic empowerment by transferring ownership to their workers.
In
November last year, we held our third South Africa Investment Conference to
review the implementation of previous commitments and to generate new
investment into our economy.
Even
under difficult economic circumstances, the Investment Conference managed to
raise some R108 billion in additional investment commitments.
Together
with investment confirmed from the two previous investment conferences, we have
now received R773 billion in investment commitments towards our 5-year target
of R1.2 trillion.
Firms
have reported that some R183 billion of these investments has already flowed
into projects that benefit the South African economy.
This
shows that our country is still an attractive investment destination for both
local and offshore companies.
We
have worked to facilitate investment by increasing the ease of doing business,
including by making it easier to start a business.
In
the past year, more than 125,000 new companies have been registered through the
BizPortal platform, completing their registration in just a matter of hours
from the comfort of their homes or offices.
We
are making it easier for business to do business.
Our
third priority intervention is an employment stimulus to create jobs and
support livelihoods.
The
largest numbers of jobs will be created by the private sector in a number of
industries as the economy recovers.
We
continue to work in a social compact with the private sector to create a more
conducive environment for them to be able to create jobs.
Our
compact with the private sector is underpinned by a clear commitment to grow
our economy and to create jobs.
However,
the public sector has a responsibility to stimulate job creation both through
its policies and through direct job creation opportunities.
The
Presidential Employment Stimulus is one of the most significant expansions of
public and social employment in South Africa’s history.
By
the end of January 2021, over 430,000 opportunities have already been supported
through the stimulus.
A
further 180,000 opportunities are currently in the recruitment process.
These
opportunities are in areas like education, arts and culture, global business
services, early childhood development, and small-scale and subsistence farming.
It
involves environmental programmes such as the clearing of alien trees, wetland
rehabilitation, fire prevention and cleaning and greening across all
municipalities.
These
programmes are about real lives and real livelihoods.
Nearly
half a million people are now receiving an income, developing new skills and
contributing to their community and the country’s economy.
We
will continue to support employment for as long as it is necessary while the
labour market recovers, even as we work to promote stronger and more resilient
growth in the private sector.
In
the State of the Nation last year, in response to the huge challenge our
country faces of youth unemployment, I announced that the National Youth
Development Agency and the Department of Small Business Development would
provide grant funding and business support to 1,000 young entrepreneurs within
100 days.
While
the programme had to be put on hold due to the coronavirus restrictions, it
nevertheless managed to reach its target of 1,000 businesses by International
Youth Day on 12 August 2020.
This provides a firm foundation for our efforts to support 15,000
start-ups by 2024.
Last year, we said we would establish a national Pathway
Management Network to provide support and opportunities to young people across
the country.
I want to encourage every young South African to join the more
than 1.2 million people who are already in the network, and take their next
steps to a better future.
Of
the many hardships our people had to experience last year, schooling disruption
placed a huge burden on learners, teachers and families.
Despite
this they persevered.
It
is our priority for this year to regain lost time and improve educational
outcomes, from the early years through to high school and post-school education
and training.
The
fourth priority intervention of the Recovery Plan is to rapidly expand energy
generation capacity.
Restoring
Eskom to operational and financial health and accelerating its restructuring
process is central to this objective.
Eskom
has been restructured into three separate entities for generation, transmission
and distribution.
This
will lay the foundations for an efficient, modern and competitive energy
system.
Eskom
is making substantial progress with its intensive maintenance and operational
excellence programmes to improve the reliability of its coal fleet.
We
are working closely with Eskom on proposals to improve its financial position,
manage its debt and reduce its dependence on the fiscus.
This
requires a review of the tariff path to ensure that it reflects all reasonable
costs and measures to resolve the problem of municipal debt.
In
December 2020, government and its social partners signed the historic Eskom
Social Compact, which outlines the necessary actions we must take, collectively
and as individual constituencies, to meet the country’s energy needs now and
into the future.
Over
the last year, we have taken action to urgently and substantially increase
generation capacity in addition to what Eskom generates:
-
The Department of Mineral Resources and
Energy will soon be announcing the successful bids for 2,000 megawatts of
emergency power.
-
The necessary regulations have been
amended and the requirements clarified for municipalities to buy power from
independent power producers. Systems are being put in place to support
qualifying municipalities.
-
Government will soon be initiating the
procurement of an additional 11,800 megawatts of power from renewable energy,
natural gas, battery storage and coal in line with the Integrated Resource Plan
2019.
Despite
this work, Eskom estimates that, without additional capacity, there will be an
electricity supply shortfall of between 4,000 and 6,000 megawatts over the next
5 years, as old coal-fired power stations reach their end of life.
As
part of the measures to address this shortfall, we will in the coming weeks
issue a request for proposals for 2,600 megawatts from wind and solar energy as
part of Bid Window 5.
This
will be followed by another bid window in August 2021.
Recent
analysis suggests that easing the licensing requirements for new embedded
generation projects could unlock up to 5,000 megawatts of additional capacity
and help to ease the impact of load shedding.
We
will therefore amend Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act within the
next three months to increase the licensing threshold for embedded generation.
This
will include consultation among key stakeholders on the level at which the new
threshold should be set and the finalisation of the necessary enabling
frameworks.
Eskom
has already started work to expedite its commercial and technical processes to
allow this additional capacity onto the grid without undue delay.
As
we mobilise all of the resources at our disposal to support economic recovery,
we cannot lose sight of the threat that climate change poses to our
environmental health, socio-economic development and economic growth.
We
are therefore working to fulfil our commitments under the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement which include the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Eskom,
our largest greenhouse gas emitter, has committed in principle to net zero
emission by 2050 and to increase its renewable capacity.
Eskom
will be looking to partner with investors to repurpose and repower part of its
coal fleet.
This
will be done in a way that stimulate investment, local economic activity and
local manufacturing, as part of a just transition.
Our
work on climate change will be guided by the Presidential Coordinating
Commission on Climate Change, which is meeting for the first time this month.
The
Commission will work on a plan for a just transition to a low-carbon economy
and climate resilient society.
We
will not achieve higher rates of growth and employment if we do not implement
structural economic reforms.
These
reforms are necessary to reduce costs and barriers to entry, increase
competition, stimulate new investment and create space for new entrants in the
market.
This
work is being driven through Operation Vulindlela, which involves a team in
National Treasury and the President’s office.
Operation
Vulindlela is focusing on reforms in the electricity, water, telecommunications
and transport sectors, as well as reforms to our visa and immigration regime.
The
completion of digital migration is vital to our ability to effectively harness
the enormous opportunities presented by technological change.
After
many delays, we will begin the phased switch-off of our analogue TV
transmitters from next month.
It
is anticipated that this process, which will be done province-by-province, will
be completed by the end of March 2022.
The
process for the licensing of high demand spectrum is at an advanced stage.
We
hope that the ongoing litigation on the licensing matter will provide legal
certainty and will not unduly delay the spectrum auction process.
In
the water sector, we are working through Operation Vulindlela to ensure that
water license applications are finalised within the revised timeframe of 90
days; and to revive the Green Drop and Blue Drop programmes to strengthen water
quality monitoring.
We
will finalise and implement the revised raw water pricing strategy, and
accelerate the establishment of a national Water Resources Infrastructure
Agency.
Our
ability to compete in global markets depends on the efficiency of our ports and
rail network.
We
are repositioning Durban as a hub port for the southern hemisphere and
developing Ngqura as the container terminal of choice.
The
rail corridor from Gauteng is being extended to enable the export of vehicles
through Port Elizabeth.
These
are crucial steps to move freight from road to rail and increase the
competitiveness of the rail system.
Work
is underway with the relevant departments to reform our visa and immigration
regime to attract skills and grow the tourism sector.
As
international travel starts to recover in the wake of COVID-19, we will
undertake a full roll-out of eVisas to visitors from China, India, Nigeria,
Kenya and 10 other countries.
The
revised list of critical skills will be published for public comment by the
Department of Home Affairs within one week to ensure that the final version
reflects the skills needed by the economy.
The
momentum that Operation Vulindlela has already built, and the support that it
has received across government, shows that we are serious about reform.
We
will continue to work relentlessly and without pause to create a more modern,
efficient and competitive economy that is more open to all South Africans.
To
support our reform process, the Presidential State Owned Enterprises Council
has outlined a clear set of reforms that will enable these vital public
companies to fulfil their mandate for growth and development.
Overarching
legislation for state-owned companies will be tabled in Cabinet this financial
year and Parliament in the next the financial year.
A
centralised SOE model is being implemented this financial year, which will
ensure a standardised governance, financial management and operational
performance framework for all SOEs.
The
mandates of all SOEs are being re-evaluated to ensure that they are responsive
to the country’s needs and the implementation of the National Development Plan.
In
the midst of the economic damage caused by COVID-19, South Africa’s
agricultural sector has performed remarkably well.
In
2020, we became the world’s second-largest exporter of citrus, with strong
export growth in wine, maize, nuts, deciduous fruit and sugar cane.
The
favourable weather conditions in 2020 and the beginning of 2021 mean that agriculture
is likely to grow in the near term.
This
provides an opportunity for further public-private partnership in agriculture
to promote transformation and ensure sustainable growth.
It
is an opportunity to accelerate land redistribution through a variety of
instruments such as land restitution, expropriation of land in order to boost
agricultural output.
To
date, government has redistributed over 5 million hectares of land, totalling
around 5,500 farms, to more than 300,000 beneficiaries.
This
is in addition to the land restitution process, which has benefited over two
million land claimants and resulted in the transfer of around 2.7 million
hectares.
We
are also pursuing programmes to assist smallholder and emerging farmers with
market access, to develop skills across the entire agricultural value chain and
increase the number of commercial black farmers.
During
the course of the next financial year, we will establish a Land and Agrarian
Reform Agency to fast-track land reform.
The
public service is at the coalface of government, and lack of professionalism
doesn’t just impact service delivery; it also dents public confidence.
Advancing
honesty, ethics and integrity in the public service is critical if we are to
build a capable state.
Through
the National School of Government, we continue to roll out courses and training
programmes for government officials from entry level to senior management and
the Executive.
In
October last year, I signed off on Ministerial Performance Agreements with all
Ministers, which have now been published online.
This
will enhance accountability and focused performance by members of the
executive.
We
remain on course to build a capable and professional civil service that
delivers on its mandate and is accountable to the South African people.
We
are proceeding with our efforts to strengthen the local government
infrastructure and accelerate service delivery through the District Development
Model.
The
Model brings all three spheres of government to focus on key priorities and
implementation of critical high impact projects.
Working
with both public and private sector partners, government is implementing a
range of measures to support municipalities to address inadequate and
inconsistent service delivery in areas such water provision, infrastructure
build and maintenance.
We
are focusing on the appointment of properly qualified officials at a local level
to ensure effective management and provision of services.
As
we prepare for local government elections, which are due take place this year,
we will need to adjust to the conditions forced upon us by COVID so that we can
ensure that the people of this country can determine who represents them at
this crucial level of government.
Fellow
South Africans,
Corruption
is one of the greatest impediments to the country’s growth and development.
The
revelations from the Zondo Commission of Inquiry lay bare the extent of state
capture and related corruption.
Testimony
at the Commission has shown how the criminal justice system was compromised and
weakened.
It
is therefore vital that we sustain the momentum of the rebuilding effort that
we began three years ago.
There
has been great progress in turning around law enforcement bodies.
Critical
leadership positions have been filled with capable, experienced and trustworthy
professionals.
There
is improved cooperation and sharing of resources between the respective law
enforcement agencies, enabling a more integrated approach to investigations and
prosecutions.
We
have started implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which lays
the basis for a comprehensive and integrated society-wide response to
corruption.
We
will shortly be appointing the members of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory
Council, which is a multi-sectoral body that will oversee the initial
implementation of the strategy and the establishment of an independent
statutory anti-corruption body that reports to Parliament.
When
reports started to surface last year about possible fraud and corruption in the
procurement of COVID-related goods and services, we acted decisively to put a
stop to these practices, to investigate all allegations and to act against
those responsible.
We
established a fusion centre, which brings together key law enforcement agencies
to share information and resources.
The Fusion Centre has brought many cases to trial and preserved or
recovered millions of rands in public funds.
The
Special Investigating Unit was authorised to investigate allegations of
unlawful conduct with respect to COVID procurement by all state bodies during
the National State of Disaster.
As
it reported last week, the SIU has finalised investigations into 164 contracts
with a total value of R3.5 billion.
In
a significant advance for transparency and accountability, the Political Party
Funding Act will come into operation on the 1st of April this year.
This
will regulate public and private funding of political parties. Among other
things, it requires the disclosure of donations to parties and establishes two
funds that will enable represented political parties to undertake their
programmes.
Crime
and violence continues to undermine people’s sense of safety and security.
Tackling
crime is central to the success of our recovery.
Crimes
like cable theft, railway infrastructure vandalism, land invasions, construction
site disruptions and attacks on truck drivers hamper economic activity and
discourage investment.
We
have taken steps and will continue to stop these crimes and deal with those
responsible in terms of the law.
Task
teams have been set up in a number of provinces to deal with extortion and
violence on sites of economic activity.
We
are also fast-tracking the implementation and capacitation of the Border
Management Agency to curb illegal immigration and cross-border crime.
Ending
gender-based violence is imperative if we lay claim to being a society rooted
in equality and non-sexism.
When
I launched the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence in April last
year I made a promise to the women and children of this country that we were
going to strengthen the criminal justice system to prevent them being
traumatised again, and to ensure that perpetrators face justice.
To
give effect to this, three key pieces of legislation were introduced in
Parliament last year to make the criminal justice system more effective in
combatting gender-based violence.
To
ensure that perpetrators are brought to book, we are making progress in
reducing the backlog of gender-based violence cases.
We
continue to provide care and support to survivors of gender-based violence.
In
the State of the Nation Address last year, I said that we would prioritise the
economic empowerment of women.
Last
year, Cabinet approved a policy that 40% of public procurement should go to
women-owned businesses.
Several departments have
started implementing this policy and are making progress.
Last week we also launched a groundbreaking private sector-led
GBVF Response Fund.
Several South African companies and global philanthropies made
pledges to the value of R128 million.
Over
the next three years, government will allocate approximately R12 billion to
implement the various components of the National Strategic Plan.
Gender-based
violence will only end when everyone takes responsibility for doing so in their
homes, in their communities, in their workplaces, in their places of worship
and in their schools.
Equally
we need to give attention to issues affecting children including improving
school-readiness, ECD planning and funding, protection against preventable
diseases, policy reform around child welfare and reducing violence against
children.
In
the year ahead we are also going to forge ahead with efforts to provide greater
opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in the economy and
in society in general.
As
we rebuild our economy in the midst of a pandemic, it is necessary that we
continue – within our means – to provide support to those businesses and
individuals that continue to be most affected.
Businesses
in several sectors are still struggling and many families continue to suffer as
the job market slowly recovers.
Over
the last few months, we have had ongoing discussions with our social partners
in business and labour, who proposed an extension of some of the social and
economic support.
We
have therefore decided to extend the period for the Special COVID-19 Grant of R350
by a further three months.
This
has proven to be an effective and efficient short-term measure to reduce the
immediate impact on the livelihoods of poor South Africans.
We
have also decided to extend the COVID-19 TERS benefit until 15 March 2021 only
for those sectors that have not been able to operate.
The
conditions of this extension and the sectors to be included will be announced
after consultations with social partners at NEDLAC.
The
National Treasury will work with its partners and stakeholders on improvements
to the loan guarantee scheme so that it better addresses the realities of SMMEs
and other businesses as they strive to recover.
We
will work with our social partners to ensure that these and other interventions
provide the relief to those who most need it.
Fellow
South Africans,
Just
as a harsh fire gives new life to our country’s fynbos, this crisis is an
opportunity to build a different, better South Africa.
Rebuilding
our country requires a common effort.
It
requires that every South African takes responsibility and plays their part.
Let
us work together as government, as business, as labour and as all of society to
clear away the rubble and lay a new foundation.
Above
all, let us return this country to the values upon which it was founded.
On
the day of his release, 31 years ago, Madiba gave his first public address here
in Cape Town, where he reminded South Africans there were difficult days ahead,
and that the battle was far from won.
Madiba
said:
“Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts.”
“To relax our efforts now would be a mistake which generations to come
will not be able to forgive.”
In
counting the great cost to our society over the past year, we may be tempted to
lose faith.
But
we can get through this. Because we are a nation of heroes.
I
am referring not to the glorious lineage of struggle icons, but to the everyday
heroes that walk among us, who work hard every day to put food on the table, to
keep the company running, and to give support, help and care to our people.
It
is your resilience that will help this country recover.
In addition to the many challenges that beset our people we have heard
that his Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini has not been well in recent days.
I wish to convey my wishes for the speedy recovery of His Majesty King
Goodwill Zwelithini ka Bhekuzulu.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Household and the Zulu
nation at this time.
It
is our collective wish that Isilo Samabandla Wonke is soon restored to
good health.
As
we prepare for the difficult path ahead, we can draw strength From Maya
Angelou’s great poem ‘I rise’.
She
writes:
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise I rise I rise.
People
of South Africa, it is your country that calls on you to rise.
Let
us march forward together to equality, to dignity and to recovery.
May God bless South Africa and protect her sons and daughters.
I thank you.
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