Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable Members,
Fellow South Africans,
Allow me to thank the members of this House for what has been, for the most part, a debate of substance on Vote 1.
This debate has demonstrated that while we may differ on matters of policy and politics, there is broad agreement on the challenges confronting our nation and on the urgency with which they must be addressed.
South Africans expect of all of us not simply to diagnose the country’s problems, but to work together to solve them. They expect leadership, accountability and results.
It is with that responsibility firmly in mind that the Presidency approaches its work every day.
For Parliamentary oversight to be effective, it is necessary to engage not just with the grand vision, but also with the granular detail that will determine whether such a vision succeeds or fails.
Many issues were raised during the course of the debate yesterday and it is not possible in this reply to reflect on all of them.
However, as we conclude this debate on the Presidency Budget Vote, there are some fundamental assertions that must be made.
We should state that this Presidency is resolutely focused on the task of growing an inclusive economy and creating jobs.
We are not distracted by the clamour of some political parties for attention. We are not distracted by political theatre or electoral posturing.
We will not be sidetracked by narrow agendas that have nothing to do with the needs, interests and concerns of the people of South Africa.
As an institution and as the people who lead it, we are focused on the work that must be done to move with greater urgency and purpose to transform our economy.
This determination is shared across government. It is shared by most of the Members of this House, and it is certainly shared by the people of this country.
Economic growth is not an abstract concept.
It is about whether a young person can find work. It is about whether a small business can expand. It is about whether investors have confidence to build factories, establish enterprises and create opportunities.
Our task is therefore not simply to grow the economy. It is to ensure that growth is inclusive, sustainable and capable of transforming the lives of ordinary South Africans.
As Deputy Minister Morolong said, building a common future for all South Africans is our overriding priority.
We can assert with confidence that we are building a Presidency capable of driving transformation across society.
In many ways, we are having to rebuild the Presidency as an institution with the resources, capability and intent to provide strategic direction and coordination.
The Presidency is not intended to replace departments or duplicate their responsibilities.
Its purpose is to ensure coherence across government, to drive implementation, to remove obstacles to progress and to ensure that the priorities of the nation are translated into measurable outcomes.
In a complex and rapidly changing world, the centre of government must have both the capability and the authority to coordinate national efforts around growth, jobs, service delivery and social development.
During the state capture era, power tended to be concentrated at the centre of government not to advance the public good but to facilitate patronage. And, as the State Capture Commission found, to shield wrongdoing.
This was true across many parts of the state. The State Capture Commission also found that efforts were made to undermine and repurpose institutions like the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Revenue Service.
In a number of departments and state owned enterprises key to economic growth and social development, service delivery was considered secondary to the adjudication of massive tenders to favour vested interests.
Institutions responsible for safety, security and intelligence were politicised and weakened.
To understand the role, approach and priorities of the Presidency at this time in our country’s history, it is necessary to recognise where we have come from.
Coordinating the repair of the damage wrought by state capture from the centre of government has been, and will continue to be, a critical function of this Presidency.
Having strategic functions like structural reform, state security or investment driven from the centre of government is common practice in a number of established democracies.
South Africa is not alone in coordinating issues of national consequence from the centre of government.
The challenges facing modern states are increasingly complex, interconnected and cross-cutting.
Economic growth, energy security, infrastructure investment, climate adaptation, national security, logistics reform and public employment cannot be effectively addressed by individual departments acting in isolation.
As a result, many successful democracies have strengthened the coordinating role of the centre of government to ensure policy coherence, implementation discipline and accountability across the state.
The Presidency's role in South Africa should therefore be understood not as the centralisation of power for its own sake, but as the coordination of national priorities that require collective action across multiple departments, spheres of government and social partners.
The centre of government becomes the place where obstacles are removed, competing priorities are aligned and implementation is monitored to ensure that national objectives are achieved.
The Presidency has used this approach – working together with departments and other state entities – to, among other things, mobilise investment, manage the COVID-19 pandemic, tackle gender-based violence and overcome the energy crisis.
The Presidency has devoted much effort to rebuild the relationship between the state and other social partners.
The change has been most evident in the relationship between government and business.
During the era of state capture, relations between the Presidency and business were opaque and advanced the interests of a connected few.
Today the Presidency is working with business in a structured partnership to advance growth, attract investment, create jobs and move South Africa forward.
This partnership is conducted in a spirit of collaboration, mutual respect and transparency.
The partnerships we have built with business, labour, civil society, community organisations and development organisations have proven invaluable both in times of crisis and in times of reconstruction.
From the COVID-19 pandemic to the load shedding crisis, from the just energy transition to the Presidential Employment Stimulus, we have forged strong and enduring partnerships.
We can confidently assert that the achievements of this Presidency are meaningful and measurable.
Budget debates are an exercise in assessing whether public resources are translating to public value.
We must therefore ask: what is the value of the work we have done as government, through the leadership of the Presidency, to end load shedding?
Over the course of nearly two decades, load shedding cost our economy billions of rands a year in lost output.
Through the implementation of the Energy Action Plan, through Eskom’s generation recovery programme, through the massive investment in renewable generation, we have in effect brought load shedding to an end.
By the same measure, what is the value of the work underway to restore stability in other key state-owned enterprises?
For years, corruption, dysfunction and mismanagement at Transnet was a severe constraint on growth. It has taken a great effort, involving partners across government and across industry, to turn the situation around.
Transnet is now registering a steady increase in rail volumes and vessel traffic through its ports. Its financial position is improving and in the last financial year, cargo volumes through its ports showed its strongest growth in 15 years.
These gains have been reinforced by the work of Operation Vulindlela, which continues to remove long-standing structural constraints to growth.
Reforms in the electricity sector, telecommunications, logistics, water and the visa system are improving the conditions for investment and economic expansion.
These reforms are not always immediately visible, but they are steadily reshaping the foundations of our economy and strengthening South Africa's long-term growth prospects.
Some Honourable Members asked what the value of investment conferences, envoys and task teams is.
Eight years ago fixed investment in the country had all but stalled, business confidence was low and the relationship between government and the private sector was characterised by mistrust.
The investment drive we launched then has made a significant difference.
Of the total of R1.5 trillion in investment pledges over the first five years, a total of R634 billion has already been invested in new factories, new production lines, new mines, renewable energy plants, data centres and new machinery.
These investments have sustained and created employment, have developed valuable skills, provided opportunities to emerging businesses and supported livelihoods in communities across the country.
This year’s South Africa Investment Conference recorded the highest cumulative value of pledges to date, encouraging us to set our ambitions even higher.
Several Members raised the challenge of youth unemployment.
We recognise that unemployment among young people remains one of the greatest threats to our country's future prosperity and social stability.
As we create the favourable conditions under which investment can take place that creates jobs at scale, the Presidency has been centrally involved in undertaking mass public employment.
The Presidential Employment Stimulus, coordinated through the Presidency, has created work and livelihood opportunities for more than 2.5 million unemployed South Africans.
The Presidential Employment Stimulus continues to demonstrate that public support for employment is a vital part of our overall employment strategy and can create opportunities for meaningful work and create real social value in the process.
Last year, the Basic Education Employment Initiative provided work experience for nearly 200,000 young people in schools across the country, with support also provided to social employment, the creative sector, metros and the National Youth Service.
The National Pathway Management Network continues to expand with more than 900,000 young people joining SA Youth mobi in the last year, increasing the number of young people on the platform to 5.7 million.
While public employment programmes provide important opportunities, our ultimate objective is to create a growing economy capable of generating sustainable employment at scale.
We must also appreciate the contribution of the social wage towards inclusive economic growth, social development and improved livelihoods.
We spend more than 60 percent of our budget before interest costs on the social wage. This is an investment in our people.
Studies have shown that social grants have enabled beneficiaries to pursue diverse livelihoods, to start and sustain small businesses, to search for employment and to invest in a child's education.
Recipients of the Child Support Grant complete significantly more years of schooling and consistently achieve higher test scores at school.
Of all the investments we are making, the most enduring and impactful is the investment we are making in our children.
The Presidency was centrally involved in developing the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children, which was approved by Cabinet in December 2025.
Central to this strategy is our mission to end child stunting. In line with the commitment made in SONA, we have established an inter-departmental task team and are setting up mechanisms to engage civil society, business and trade unions to address the issue of hunger and malnutrition.
This is taking place alongside the commitment of substantial new resources to ensure that every child benefits from early childhood development.
We want our children to have both the food and the intellectual stimulation to grow their brainpower and their bodies to full potential.
Another question to ask in this Budget Vote is what is the value of the work we have done – driven from the Presidency – to root out corruption and state capture?
The State Capture Commission estimated that more than R57 billion in public funds was lost through state capture.
However, the true cost of state capture to the economy – in lost investment, higher borrowing costs, collapsed institutions, and foregone growth and jobs – is much greater.
Work has begun in earnest to recover as much of the stolen funds as possible.
As I reported yesterday, recoveries by law enforcement linked to the work of the Commission now stand at over R17 billion.
As a result of Presidential Proclamations, the SIU has recovered R1.3 billion in cash and assets in the past financial year alone.
A number of Honourable Members correctly pointed out that corruption weakens the capacity of the state, undermines public trust and diverts resources away from the needs of our people.
The fight against corruption is therefore not simply a governance issue. It is a development issue, a service delivery issue and a moral imperative.
Beyond the recovery of stolen funds and the prosecution of wrongdoing, we are working to build institutions that are transparent, accountable and resilient against future abuse.
We are working hard to strengthen consequence management, improve procurement oversight and promote ethical leadership across the public sector.
Several speakers raised concerns about crime, violence and the effectiveness of our criminal justice system. These concerns are both legitimate and urgent.
Every day, South Africans experience the devastating consequences of violent crime, organised criminal activity, gender-based violence and the exploitation of vulnerable communities.
As we said in the State of the Nation Address, the fight against crime cannot be approached as a routine function of government.
It must be approached as a national priority requiring urgency, coordination and sustained effort.
That is why we have placed specific focus on tackling organised crime, reducing gun violence and restoring stability and security in communities ravaged by gang warfare.
The South African Police Service has achieved much success with its specialised task forces and units to deal with specific forms of criminality, and will continue to refine this approach.
A number of Members reminded this House that the measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable.
The scourge of gender-based violence and femicide remains one of the greatest challenges confronting our nation.
We agree with the Honourable Members who said that the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide must be established without delay and will give the matter priority.
As I said yesterday, government remains committed to strengthening prevention efforts, improving support services for survivors, enhancing the effectiveness of the criminal justice response and addressing the social conditions that contribute to violence against women and children.
This work requires the collective effort of government, communities, faith-based organisations, civil society and the private sector.
Madam Speaker,
We can state with conviction that, as a nation, we look to the future with confidence because we have seen what we are capable of.
Five months from now, South Africans will participate in local government elections where they will signal with their votes how they want their municipalities to be run.
The elections will be overseen by the Independent Electoral Commission, one of our finest and most trusted institutions constitutionally mandated to safeguard democracy.
It was quite disappointing to hear aspersions being cast on the IEC by a member of this House.
Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, this country has held seven national and provincial elections and six local government elections.
Without exception, all of them were declared free and fair, and took place under conditions free from violence.
At a time when there is democratic backsliding in many parts of the world, that participatory democracy remains strong in this country is a credit to our constitutional order – and to the work of the IEC.
I urge members of this House and indeed all South Africans to rally behind the IEC as we prepare to head to elections.
These elections are taking place at an important time, as we work to fashion a new approach to local government.
The Draft Revised White Paper on Local Government, which has been developed through extensive consultation, proposes far-reaching changes to governance arrangements.
These are intended to reduce overlapping powers and functions, and ensure that each municipality is able to fulfil the responsibilities assigned to it.
In particular, we need to re-organise how water and electricity services are delivered.
We continue to move forward in establishing a utility model which allows water and electricity services to be ring-fenced, professionally managed and able to invest in essential infrastructure.
With the proposed changes, municipalities will be held to stricter account on how they spend public money.
Effective local government is critical and necessary for the progress of our country.
We all carry a responsibility, wherever we are, to ensure that local government works for all South Africans.
Thirty-two years after the achievement of democracy, South Africa remains a country where political contestation takes place openly, where the courts are independent, where the media operates freely and where citizens are able to hold those in power accountable.
These are achievements that should never be taken for granted and which all of us have a responsibility to protect.
Honourable Members,
Reference was made by a number of speakers to the Section 89 process that Parliament has embarked upon following the Constitutional Court judgment.
My approach to this matter is guided – as it as always been – by the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.
The institutions of our democracy must be allowed to perform their work without interference and without intimidation.
I will continue to uphold the principles and safeguard the integrity of my office. I will respect the work and authority of Parliament and abide by the rulings of our courts.
I have every confidence in the constitutional processes of our country and will continue to respect and abide by them.
We will not allow anything to slow the momentum of growth and transformation that, with each passing day, is gaining more and more pace.
Honourable Members,
South Africans do not judge government by the speeches we make or the debates we have in this House.
They judge us by whether they feel safe in their homes, whether they can find work, whether services are delivered, whether corruption is punished and whether their children can look to the future with hope.
Those are the standards by which this Presidency wishes to be measured, and those are the outcomes towards which we direct all our efforts.
South Africa has faced many challenges over the course of its democratic journey.
We have confronted division and instability.
We have confronted corruption and state capture.
We have confronted a devastating pandemic and an unprecedented energy crisis.
Each time, through determination, resilience and collective effort, we have prevailed.
Today we are seeing the results of that effort.
Investment is growing.
Infrastructure is being rebuilt.
Energy supply has stabilised.
Institutions that were weakened are being restored.
Opportunities are being created for millions of South Africans.
While much work remains to be done, we can say with confidence that our country is moving forward.
Let us therefore reject pessimism and cynicism.
We must draw strength from what we have achieved together and from what remains possible.
We should continue to work together to build a South Africa that is growing, inclusive, prosperous and united.
A South Africa in which every person can realise their potential.
A South Africa that works for all leaving no one behind.
I thank you.
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