President Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged South Africans to remain optimistic, even as “we prepare for strong winds. “
“We are a country that perseveres and never gives up. We will emerge triumphant from our demanding situations as we did with the pandemic that threatened to devastate our country.
“Misfortune has tested us for more than a year, but those difficult times have once again highlighted the characteristics by which we are known as South Africans,” the president said in his weekly bulletin on Monday.
As 2022 draws to a close, President Ramaphosa has suggested the country reflect on what he described as a complicated year for many South Africans.
In the early part of the year, the country experienced devastating flooding in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the North West.
The Russian-Ukrainian clash has sent shockwaves into global energy and food markets, leading to supply chain disruptions and emerging costs that continue to be felt acutely, adding to South Africa.
“The energy crisis has caused distress for South African families and businesses.
“The road to recovery and building a greater South Africa will be long, we will achieve it if we act decisively and together,” the president said.
Economic and social recovery
Despite the power problems, President Ramaphosa said the economy is growing.
In the third quarter of this year, genuine gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1. 6% and the duration of the economy is now above pre-pandemic levels.
The Chair noted that primary industries and task-creating resources, such as agriculture, transportation, structure and finance, have noticed an accumulation in economic output. Exports increased by 4. 2%.
“Jobs are being created again. While we haven’t recovered all the jobs lost to the pandemic, nearly 1. 5 million new jobs were created last year.
“A few months ago, the presidential reactivation for employment reached one million participants. More than 3 million young people are registered on the cutting-edge SAYouth. mobi platform, which connects them with potential employers. We are revitalizing the National Youth Service to create opportunities for 50,000 young people,” he said.
Shedding
For more than a decade, South Africa has faced an electricity shortage, and pressure loss is now a reality.
The president said that over the past year, the government has taken urgent measures for this dire scenario through the expansion of the structure of the new production capacity.
“We have accelerated the source of renewable energy and removed many regulatory barriers to greater personal investment in embodied generation.
“Now there is a giant pipeline of integrated generation projects preparing for construction. We are working intensively with Eskom to achieve the functionality of their fleet of power plants,” he said.
The president said the government is also undertaking far-reaching reforms in the capacity and competitiveness of railways and ports to open up the telecommunications industry and water sources and prices.
Tackling corruption
The president said several corruption-related cases have been brought before the country’s courts this year, with some convictions obtained.
He said the multidisciplinary units, which bring together a variety of law enforcement agencies, identify Americans and the entities most involved and prepare instances against them.
After nearly four years, the State Capture Commission concluded its work and submitted its final reports to the president.
“I have submitted to Parliament the government’s detailed implementation plan for the commission’s recommendations. These are by no means the difficulties we face. Crime, gender-based violence, poverty and hunger continue to cause wonderful misery,” she said.
Positive in the country
Despite the many demanding situations facing the country, President Ramaphosa said we do not take lightly the adjustments taking place in the country.
“We see the pride of young people, who would otherwise be unemployed, being reinstated in their cadres as educational assistants, conservationists and small farmers.
“We see passengers boarding new trains to send them to paintings on lines that have been closed for years. We are looking at the structure of new factories and existing plants through investors who see this country as a favorable position to do business. “the president said.
As this difficult year draws to a close and several demanding situations remain unresolved, the President suggested that South Africans continue to focus on what they want to do next year.
He said the events of recent years continue to cast a long shadow, with the global COVID-19 pandemic severely damaging an already suffering economy and public unrest over the loss of lives and livelihoods.
Despite this, the president said there were “good reasons for things to be improving. “
“Our wonderful country will stand above adversity, as it has done so many times in the past. Two years ago, when we faced the worry and uncertainty of COVID-19, I said that if we act decisively and together, the pandemic will pass. It has indeed happened, as have the existing misfortunes we are experiencing.
“We are more than capable of meeting the needs of our country,” he said.
Read: Ramaphosa takes to Constitutional Court
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