Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Serbia, to the Republic of South Africa, Mr Goran Gvozdenovic, thank you for having us here today: 
• To what I understand will be your final time hosting a National Day event in South Africa, as your tour of duty unfortunately reaches its conclusion. 
• I wish you all the best with your endeavours going forward. Please know that you have served your nation and people proud. 

Your Excellency, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (if present), 
Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Heads of International Organisations, 
Members of the Diplomatic Corps, 
Distinguished Guests, 
Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon! 

I am honoured and happy that we got the opportunity to meet again with our Serbian hosts and colleagues and to stand before you today on behalf of the People and Government of South Africa; It is my distinct privilege to convey warm greetings and congratulations. This afternoon marks a significant occasion and milestone in the history of the Republic of Serbia as it celebrates Two hundred and Twenty-one (221) years of Statehood. There is no doubt in our minds that South Africa values her bilateral relations with Serbia and the Serbian people. 

Official diplomatic relations between South Africa and Serbia were established on 2 April 1992. Both countries share common interests and support in various multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. 

I would like to acknowledge that we need to work on enhancing exchange of high-level visit to strengthen political consultations and exchange views on various issues. The last high level meeting engagement between the respective Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation /Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa and Serbia took place in 2011, when Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane visited the Republic of Serbia to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) Conference in Belgrade. It was during this visit that Minister Nkoana-Mashabane met with the Serbian Foreign Minister, Mr Vuk Jeremić, on the side-lines of the Conference. In 2012, Ministers Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister Jeremić met on two separate occasions on the sidelines of multilateral conferences (January 2012 at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa and May 2012 at a NAM meeting in Egypt). 

This was followed by the visit of the Deputy Minister of DIRCO, Mr Alvin Botes, who met with the Serbian Foreign Minister, at that time Mr Nikola Selaković, during a Business Forum Meeting in Belgrade as part of the 60th NAM Anniversary Meeting in October 2021. 

I must commend, Your Excellency, Charge d’Affaires, Mr Goran Gvozdenovic with the efforts to strengthening these relations and continuing to identify areas for cooperation between South Africa and Serbia. We are aware that of the challenges posed to both of our countries, both internally and externally and we appreciate your concerted effort in bettering our relations. 

Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthen our relations by exploring different opportunities and avenues of engagements even through virtual means. Through these engagements we hope to broaden the conversation to include the business sector to expand the economic relations and opportunities for both countries mutual benefit.

Your Excellency, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Serbia regularly makes scholarships available for South African students to study at its tertiary institutions through its NAM World in Serbia Project. For the academic year 2024/25, South Africa (through the DHET) was again invited to nominate candidates for the World in Serbia Scholarships. 

For the year 2024/2025, Five (5) students were nominated of which Three (3) were successfully awarded the scholarship and will commence their studies in March 2025, with their compulsory Serbian language training programme which they recently successfully completed. 

This relationship has grown in leaps and bounds since the first students that have been accepted into this programme. 

As His Excellency, President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa recently highlighted in his State of the Nation Address, there was a reason to celebrate—South Africa recorded its highest matric pass rate of 87%, and the government is stepping up efforts to improve early childhood learning, TVET colleges, and university access. That means more funding for students, better skills training, and hopefully, a smoother transition from school to employment. Hence these scholarships are invaluable for South Africa. 

This engagement therefore could not have come at a better time. As South African officials we have a huge responsibility on our shoulders, that of addressing South Africa’s economic growth in order to address the current socio-economic challenges facing our government and the people of South Africa, such as high youth unemployment rate and poverty. Through interactions of this nature and others, by increasing our bilateral relations and we are seeking mutual inclusive creative solutions to some of the challenges we face. 

We look forward explore other sectors of cooperation that will contribute to both our economies, including the tourism, and agriculture. We would therefore like to see the outstanding legal instruments finalised where possible as these are instruments towards achieving these goals. 

Trade and economic relations need to be strengthened. Therefore, the convening of regular political consultations would assist our countries to work together in building 5 partnerships that would enhance political and economic relations for the benefit of our countries. It was also brought to my attention that efforts are being taken by the officials responsible for Trade and Industry of our respective countries to resuscitate a platform for collaboration to explore mutually beneficial trade opportunities, address barriers, and perhaps lay the groundwork for future partnerships. 

The task that faces us, going forward, is to ensure that we make tangible progress in taking this co-operation forward between our two countries. 

In conclusion, it is my expressed wish that we shall continue to maintain engagement between our two countries in our quest to strengthening our relations for now and in future. 

Your Excellency, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Please join me in raising our glasses in toast to the Government and People of the Republic of Serbia on this momentous occasion of the Statehood Day. 

May your journey continue to be long and prosperous! 

Cheers! 

I Thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, address the annual opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL) in Parliament, Cape Town. 

The National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders comprises traditional leaders who are delegates from the Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders of South Africa and represent the Provincial Houses at national level.

In his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on 6 February 2025, President Ramaphosa reasserted Government's commitment to work with traditional leaders in the implementation of local development programmes.

To meet the above objectives of a nation that works for all, President Ramaphosa reaffirmed Government’s collaboration with the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders as a vital conduit for creating jobs, reducing poverty and improving the lives of South Africans. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi- San Leaders as follows:

Date: Tuesday , 25 February 2025
Time: 11h00
Venue: Good Hope Chamber, Parliament, Cape Town

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Saturday, 22 February 2025, attend the Mahindra Fusion Festival, taking place at SunBet Arena in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria.

The Mahindra Fusion Festival is a groundbreaking cultural event designed to celebrate the rich diversity, vibrant youthfulness and creative spirit of South Africa. The festival will serve as a beacon of creativity, bringing together artists, musicians, designers and performers to create an immersive experience that reflect our nation’s dynamic energy.

As a champion of social cohesion and nation building activities, the Deputy President attends the Mahindra Fusion Festival at the invitation of the Mahindra Group, a global federation of companies which operate in diverse industries, including automotive, farm equipment, IT, financial services, and renewable energy.

Details of the festival are as follows:
Date: Saturday, 22 February 2025
Time: 19:00
Venue: SunBet Arena, Menlyn Maine, Pretoria

Media enquiries: Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa,  Mr Ronald Lamola,
Distinguished Ministers of Foreign Affairs of G20 Member States and Invited Guest Countries,
Representatives of International Organisations and Regional Economic Communities,
Heads of Delegation,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to this first Foreign Ministers’ meeting under South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

It is significant that the G20 Leaders Summit later this year will be convened for the first time on African soil.

This highlights the growing importance of the continent in global economic, political and environmental discussions.

Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and faces unique challenges, such as the impact of climate change, development needs and the effects of global trade dynamics.

The Summit's location underscores the need for African voices to be heard on critical global issues, like sustainable development, the digital economy and the shift toward green energy.

It is a great opportunity to promote greater collaboration between African nations and the rest of the world.

Geopolitical tensions, rising intolerance, conflict and war, climate change, pandemics and energy and food insecurity threaten an already fragile global coexistence.

These challenges are interconnected.

They require responses that are inclusive and coordinated.

Yet there is a lack of consensus among major powers, including in the G20, on how to respond to these issues of global significance.

Extreme poverty and growing inequality within and among nations weigh heavily on the conscience of the world.

We are just five years away from 2030, the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the international community, we committed ourselves to this ambitious agenda to end poverty and hunger, to protect the planet, to achieve gender equality, universal education and health coverage, and to promote decent work and sustainable economic growth.

Our commitment to achieve these targets we must not waver.

The nations of the world look to the G20 for leadership on the most pressing issues confronting our world.

Just as cooperation supported the progress of early humans, our modern-day challenges can only be resolved through collaboration, partnership and solidarity.

That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency.

We would like our G20 Presidency to be one in which all voices are heard and in which all views count.

The G20 represents over two-thirds of the world’s population.

Its decisions and policies must reflect the needs and aspirations of all who form part of the G20 family.

The G20 must also seek to reflect the needs and aspirations of all people who call this planet home.

This year marks 80 years since the United Nations was founded and the UN Charter was adopted.

The United Nations was established to reaffirm fundamental human rights, to promote social progress and to save successive generations from the scourge of war.

While these essential goals of the United Nations remain, the world has changed in fundamental ways.

The UN must change accordingly.

We continue to call for the UN Security Council, the multilateral trading system and the international financial architecture to be reformed to make them more representative, more agile and more responsive to today’s global realities.

As the G20, it is critical that the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law remain at the centre of all our endeavours.

The conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan, in the Sahel and in Gaza continue to exact a heavy human toll and heighten global insecurity.

South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas as a crucial first step toward ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

This ceasefire must lay the basis for a just and lasting peace in line with UN resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters.

As the G20, we must continue to advocate for diplomatic solutions.

Our own experience as South Africa is that the peaceful resolution of conflict through inclusive dialogue is the foremost guarantor of sustainable, lasting peace.

Your Excellencies,

The climate crisis is no longer a threat. It is a catastrophic reality.

Last year, global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time.

The impact of climate change places a disproportionate and unjust burden on the poorest and most vulnerable.

As the G20, we must seize this moment of crisis to innovate and drive sustainable solutions.

We must remain true to the original G20 mandate of promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.

In line with this mandate, South Africa has identified four priorities for its G20 Presidency.

Firstly, we should take action to strengthen disaster resilience and response.

Climate-induced natural disasters affect countries around the world.

But they have a particularly devastating impact on countries that cannot afford the costs of recovery and rebuilding.

We will call on G20 Leaders to urge the global community, including international financial institutions, development banks and the private sector, to scale up post-disaster reconstruction.

Secondly, we should take action to ensure debt sustainability for low-income countries.

Developing economies are currently experiencing the highest borrowing costs in nearly two decades.

Debt payments are crowding out vital domestic expenditure and diverting critical resources away from development.

More than 3.3 billion people live in countries where interest payments on debt exceed education or health spending.

The G20 needs to renew its efforts to advance debt sustainability, with a particular emphasis on African countries.

Thirdly, we believe that it is important to mobilise finance for a just energy transition.

Although climate change affects developed and developing economies alike, the impact is uneven.

Every nation has a responsibility to contribute to the global climate effort in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

Those most responsible for climate change have a duty and responsibility to support those least responsible.

G20 Leaders should secure agreement on increasing the quality and quantity of climate finance flows to developing economy countries.

This includes strengthening multilateral development banks, enhancing and streamlining support for country platforms such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership, and leveraging private capital more effectively.

Fourthly, we will seek to harness critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

We will champion an inclusive G20 framework on green industrialisation and investment to promote value addition and beneficiation of critical minerals.

South Africa will seek to take forward the recommendations of the 2024 report of the UN SecretaryGeneral’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.

Your Excellencies,

Long before our freedom was won, South Africa’s founding father Nelson Mandela spoke of a society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.

This universal aspiration is reflected in the UN Charter.

As a premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 needs to play a leading role in the global agenda for people, planet and prosperity.

As we strive towards a common purpose, let us remember that cooperation is our greatest strength.

Let us seek to find common ground through constructive engagement.

Through the G20, let us set the coordinates of a new course for human progress, one that is founded on solidarity, equality and sustainability.

I thank you.

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has today, Thursday, 20 February 2025, received a courtesy visit by the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr. REN Hongbin, at the OR Tambo Official Residence in Pretoria, Gauteng Province. 

The CCPIT is a key Chinese economic promotion institution that reports directly to the State Council responsible for the facilitation and promotion of trade and investment with foreign countries by supporting Chinese companies (their members) to do business abroad and to engage and support foreign companies that have operations in China.

It has more than 400 000 Chinese business members, the majority of which are from State-owned Companies (SoEs).

This visit to the Deputy President follows the successful 2nd State Visit to China by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September 2024. In particular, it builds on the outcomes of the President’s business engagements, including the seminal South Africa – China Presidential Business Forum, the closed roundtable discussion between the President and the Leadership of 20 high-level Chinese investors, and the Presidential Business Programme in Shenzhen that focused on key investors in China's leading technology and innovation hub. 

Therefore, the Chairman’s visit is mainly focussed on following up on the implementation of the outcomes of the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit held in Beijing in September 2024, as well as optimising the trade and investment environment for better cooperation between South Africa and China.

Deputy President Mashatile has welcomed China’s plan to host the FOCAC Ministerial Coordination Meeting alongside the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in June 2025.

Such events, he said, would strengthen Africa-China economic relations and accelerate projects in industrialisation, infrastructure, agricultural modernisation, and green development, aligning with AU Agenda 2063 goals.

“Chairman, our President was encouraged by the number of Chinese companies he interacted with in Beijing and Shenzhen last year, who all expressed a wish to increase their investment exposure in South Africa. We continue to prioritise new investments in targeted sectors and enlarge the beneficiation and manufacturing base in South Africa, especially in the automotive and energy, which will contribute to local job creation, technology, and skills transfer,” said the Deputy President.

Furthermore, the Deputy President took the opportunity presented by the visit to mobilise Chinese businesses to attend the Business20 (B20) meetings of the G20 in South Africa this coming year.

In reciprocating the invite by the Deputy President, the Chairman also invited South Africa to attend the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) that will be hosted by the CCPIT in Beijing in July this year. The CISCE is one of the four national-level trade and investment conferences hosted in China yearly. The 2nd CISCE was held in Beijing in November 2024 and was addressed by the Vice President of China, Mr Han Zheng.

Post the meeting with the Deputy President, the Chairman is expected to meet with the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Mr Parks Tau.

During this meeting, Deputy President Mashatile was supported by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Moraka and Deputy Minister of Trade Industry and Competition, Mr Godlimpi.

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 20 February 2025, officially open and address the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg. 

The Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola takes place under South Africa's G20 Presidency  theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability on 20 and 21 February 2025 at the Nasrec Expo Centre. 

South Africa’s G20 Presidency commenced in December 2024, and South Africa will during the course of 2025 host approximately 130 working group meetings and 23 meetings at ministerial level.

The year-long deliberations will culminate in a G20 Leaders Summit in November 2025.

The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting will over two days of plenary sessions discuss  issues including current global geopolitical dynamics and reflection on South Africa’s G20 Presidency High-Level Deliverables and the Review of the G20@20, which examines the impact of the G20 during the two decades of its existence.

G20 Summits of heads of state and government bring together leaders from the world’s largest economies to address pressing global challenges and foster economic cooperation. 

Since its inception in 2008, the G20 has evolved from a crisis-management platform to a broader forum tackling issues like financial stability, climate change, sustainable development, and global health.

During its presidency, South Africa is prioritising Africa’s development and the goals outlined in the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
 
South Africa’s three priorities for the G20 Presidency focus on 1.  Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Reduce Inequality. 2: Food Security 3: Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development.

President Ramaphosa will address the opening session of the Foreign Minister as follows: 
Date: Thursday , 20 February 2025 
Time: 14:00 
Venue: Nasrec EXPO Centre, Johannesburg 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes to assure South Africans that Cabinet’s continuing deliberations on the Budget will deliver outcomes that will protect vulnerable citizens and lay a platform for economic growth.

President Ramaphosa says the postponement today, Wednesday, 19 February 2025, of the tabling of the Budget in Parliament was the result of disagreement but also collegial and mature consensus within Cabinet that Budget proposals be worked through comprehensively and productively to secure the wellbeing of the economy and individual citizens.

President Ramaphosa said: “We are called upon as the national leadership to pursue all initiatives aimed at growth in order for us to increase employment and alleviate the effects of poverty.

“The Government of National Unity will in the coming days and week intensify our efforts to balance the imperatives that drive the fundamental growth objectives of this administration with the realities of a constrained fiscal environment.

“We are working as partners to ensure that the Budget is one that works for individuals and investors alike.”

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@pressidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli welcomes the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of 2024 released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) today. The survey revealed a positive trend in the South African labour force, with a decline in the unemployment rate.

According to the QLFS Q4: 2024 results, there was an increase of 132 000 in the number of employed persons to 17,1 million while there was a decrease of 20 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 8,0 million. This resulted in an increase of 112 000 (up by 0,4%) in the labour force during the same period.

The above changes in employment and unemployment resulted in the official unemployment rate decreasing by 0,2 of a percentage point from 32,1% in the third quarter of 2024 to 31,9% in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

Importantly, the results for the fourth quarter of 2024 show the total number of unemployed youths decreased by 133 000 to 4,7 million while employed youths recorded an increase of 37 000 to 5.8 million. As a result, the youth unemployment rate decreased from 45.5% in the third quarter 2024 to 44,6% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The largest decreases were recorded in Northern Cape (3,0 percentage points), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (2,6 percentage points) and Mpumalanga (1,5 percentage points). Increases in the unemployment rate were recorded in North West (4,5 percentage points), Free State (1,9 percentage points) and Gauteng (0,4 of a percentage point), while Western Cape remained unchanged.

“As the President stated in his State of the Nation Address earlier this month,  government is committed to tackling unemployment through strategic investments, policy reforms, and enhanced private sector participation.  These results are showing a consecutive decrease in unemployment from quarter 3 proves that the various efforts are working,” said the Deputy Minister. 

"The reduction in the unemployment rate reflects the dedication and collaborative efforts of our government and key stakeholders. The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) and Operation Vulindlela have played a crucial role in stimulating economic growth and job creation. We are encouraged to see these initiatives delivering positive outcomes,” stated the Deputy Minister.
 

Media enquiries: Mandisa Mbele, Head of Office – 0825802213, MandisaM@Presidency.gov.za 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza,
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane,
Deputy President Paul Mashatile,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable Members,
 
I wish to thank the Honourable Members for their contributions to the debate on the State of the Nation Address.
 
I welcome in particular those contributions that sought to enrich our common understanding of the work that we need to do to drive more rapid and inclusive growth, to create employment and to end poverty.
 
Some speakers held firm to the denialism and distortions demanded by their party positions.
 
This debate illustrated the dangers of retreating to corners, isolating ourselves in ideological, cultural, racial and linguistic enclaves and hardly ever engaging beyond our immediate circles.
 
This is not conducive to nation-building in a situation like ours, where diverse people live side-by-side.
 
This is what makes the forthcoming National Dialogue so important.
 
South Africans, informed by their different lived experiences, can discuss the many challenges facing our nation and develop common solutions.
 
As South Africans, we have sat around the negotiating table and forged agreements under much more trying and fraught circumstances.
 
The journey we are embarking upon now through the National Dialogue will result in concrete processes to become a more united and stronger South Africa in the face of many political, social and economic challenges, both globally and locally.
 
The debate saw the expression of divergent views on various matters by parties that make up the Government of National Unity. Sometimes these views were harshly expressed.
 
It is to be expected that the 10 political parties that make up the GNU, with their very different political and ideological perspectives, will not always agree and will sometimes feel the need on platforms such as this to talk to their different constituencies.
 
Despite these differences, these political parties are working well together in the Government of National Unity. We are finding ways of mediating our differences and remain focused on the actions that we are all committed to undertake.
 
It is this that gives me confidence that the Government of National Unity will continue to promote stability and serve the people of South Africa, in accordance with our Statement of Intent and the Medium Term Development Plan.
 
It is encouraging that a great many of the contributions in the debate appreciated the progress we have made as a country over the last 30 years.
 
This progress is owned by the people of South Africa, not by any individual or grouping.
 
This South Africa has been built by its own people who have sought to change their lives. They have entrusted the stewardship of this process to all of us and not just to some of us.
 
Many of the speakers in the debate acknowledged the real challenges we face today and recognised the work that is underway to address these challenges.
 
They said that the nation we want to build must be fundamentally different from the country that we once were.
 
Even those who may well have been opposed to the foundational document of our Constitution, the Freedom Charter, now embrace its tenets.
 
That shows the growing political maturity in our country; that we are embracing the change that our forebearers dreamed of 70 years ago.
 
We are the first to acknowledge that we have not yet achieved a number of the aspirations set out in the Freedom Charter, but it is dishonest to say that no significant progress has been made
 
Honourable Members,
 
A number of the speakers during this debate spoke about the land question, which I have in the past said was the original sin that was committed against the people of our country.
 
Describing the Natives Land Act of 1913, Solomon T Plaatje described the Natives Land Act of 1913 as “an insidious law that rendered black South Africans pariahs in the land of their birth”.
 
It is this Natives Land Act that plunged millions of people into poverty and deprivation, whose impact endures to this day.
 
Despite the terrible deed that was perpetrated against black South Africans, here in the City of Cape Town, along the foothills of Table Mountain, lies a potent symbol of hope, change and progress.
 
Just a few kilometres up the hill from our Parliament is District Six.
 
It is here that one of the most painful chapters in the history of this country took place nearly 60 years ago.
 
In 1968, the apartheid regime began demolishing District Six to make way for a whites-only suburb.
 
More than 60,000 people were forcibly removed. Families were torn apart. An entire community and way of life was destroyed.
 
Over the course of two decades, the apartheid regime forcibly removed more than 3.5 million people in District Six, Sophiatown, Marabastad, Cato Manor, Kroonstad, Nelspruit and many other places across the country.
 
It was one of the largest mass removals of people in modern history.
 
There are some in this House today who have memories of their families being forcibly removed from their land.
 
There are millions more across the country who still experience the effects of this monstrous crime.
 
The people of this country know the pain of forced removals.
 
That is why we will never allow forced removals again.
 
That is why we have a Constitution that prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of property.
 
That is why we have a Constitution that requires just and equitable compensation be paid in the event of expropriation for a public purpose or in the public interest.
 
Our experience of forced removals also explains the Constitutional requirement that the state must take reasonable measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions which enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis.
 
Today, District Six rings with the sounds of families who have been returned to the land that was taken from them.
 
Yet, like the transformation of our society, the process of restitution is not complete.
 
There is still much that needs to be done to heal the divisions of the past.
 
I reflect on this part of our history, Honourable Members, not only because issues of land and redress have featured prominently in this debate, but also because understanding this past is vital to understanding the nation that we are working to build today.
 
At this important moment in our country and in our world, we must ask ourselves what kind of a nation we want.
 
Surely we do not want a nation which is separated by race, language, income and geography?
 
We want a nation in which all people enjoy equal worth and equal opportunity.
 
We want a nation in which the rule of law is protected and upheld.
 
We want a dynamic and growing economy in which small businesses can emerge and expand.
 
It is my firm and enduring belief that all of us as South Africans, as fellow citizens bound together by our history and our present, want the same thing.
 
We have toiled long and hard to build a nation united in its diversity.
 
We are firmly committed to the fundamental principle that South Africa belongs to all who live in it.
 
We are firmly committed to a society that is non-racial and non-sexist.
 
We want to live together in peace, harmony and equality.
 
We want to see our country succeed and grow.
 
We must not allow others to define us or to divide us.
 
At a time like this, we need to stand united as a nation, particularly now when we are facing harsh global wind.
 
This is not the time for any of us to rush off to foreign lands to lay complaints about issues that we can solve ourselves in our country.
 
We need South African solutions to South African problems.
 
While there are many diverse and different voices in our society, we must strive to convey a common message.
 
We must say to our people and to the world that we are committed to work together to build a society in which all South Africans are free and equal.
 
To build a nation that works for all.
 
Together we should be better and weavers ready to build a nation working alongside each other.
 
This is what the programme of the Government of National Unity is about.
 
And we will not be diverted from the path that we have set out.
 
And I repeat, we will not be bullied from our intent to work together.
 
As a country, this is a moment of continuity and change.
 
It is a moment of continuity because we are building on the substantial advances made over 30 years of democracy and we are taking forward the far-reaching reforms that we embarked on in the previous administration.
 
While some speakers have sought to claim the progress that is being made and these reforms as new developments and their own makings, we nevertheless welcome the fact that they have embraced these initiatives and are working to ensure they succeed.
 
The structural reforms initiated under Operation Vulindlela are well underway led by The Presidency and National Treasury and executed through intergovernmental cooperation.
 
We will move with even greater urgency and determination to ensure that they are implemented.
 
Working with our partners – business, labour and community organisations – we are making considerable progress towards resolving challenges in our ports and rail, and in laying the groundwork for an energy secure future.
 
We are introducing competition and dynamism.
 
These reforms are not incidental. They are key to improving the business operating environment, to attracting new investment and to creating jobs.
 
This is also a time of change. Not only has the composition of Government changed, but there is a clear commitment to accelerate growth and transformation and to shift the trajectory of our economy.
 
There is a determination to be innovative. To expand programmes that work and have an impact and to end or redirect programmes that don’t work.
 
As we do so, we are building on the work that has been done in previous years, not discarding it.
 
There has been much debate about the laws that were passed in the previous Parliament, and the policy and legislative agenda of this Administration.
 
It is important to understand the powers and responsibilities of the President when it comes to assenting to legislation passed by Parliament.
 
We should be proud of our legislative process, which subjects every draft bill to several layers of debate, scrutiny and public consultation.
 
This process draws on the views of experts, the collective wisdom of Members of Parliament and the preferences of the South African public.
 
We should be proud that we are a democracy that is governed by such thorough processes and not the arbitrary whims of a ruler.
 
The Constitution is very clear: the President must assent to a Bill passed by Parliament unless the President has reservations about its constitutionality.
 
The Constitution does not permit that the act of assent by the President be subject to negotiation or to the terms of an agreement between parties.
 
The President must ultimately make a determination in line with the Constitution.
 
As we said in the State of the Nation Address – and as many speakers have emphasised in this debate – what we want above all is an economy that is growing, inclusive and sustainable.
 
We will work with all willing partners and we will mobilise whatever human, financial and other resources are necessary.
 
We will do the detailed work and the heavy lifting.
 
We will harness our country’s considerable competitive advantages to drive growth and job creation.
 
One of these is the immense potential of our tourism industry.
 
Last year the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa as the leading tourism destination on the continent, citing factors such as our business environment, information technology and tourism infrastructure and services.
 
We are attracting new visitors to our shores and improving our visa regime.
 
Beyond South Africa’s natural splendour, we have a vast and highly diversified agricultural sector that is a substantial contributor to our country’s GDP.
 
Farmers, both black and white, are the lifeblood of our economy.
 
Supporting the growth of agriculture is key to our goal of inclusive growth and to creating jobs in every part of our country.
 
We are resolving the challenges in our logistics system that have constrained the growth of the sector and are expanding markets for South African agricultural produce across the world.
 
As well as abundant natural resources, as in our mining industry, South Africa has advanced manufacturing capacity.
 
We have skills, experience and know-how that we need to harness not only to develop existing industries, but also to establish new industries.
 
This is at the heart of our industrial policy. It is part of our just transition to a low carbon economy and a climate resilient society.
 
We will put these capabilities to work to build industries in areas such as green hydrogen, electric vehicles and renewable energy.
 
We will seize the opportunities of rapidly changing technology to build a digital economy, a digital state and a digital society.
 
The industrialisation drive is underpinned by significant new investment in infrastructure.
 
The infrastructure drive is gaining momentum thanks to innovations such as Infrastructure SA and the Infrastructure Fund.
 
These efforts will be accelerated as a result of the changes introduced by National Treasury to encourage greater public-private partnership in infrastructure.
 
Even as we do so, it is worth pointing out that public sector infrastructure investment is on the rise for a second consecutive year.
 
As we were reminded in the debate, the focus on new infrastructure development must be accompanied by maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.
 
Strengthening provincial and local economies is critical for inclusive growth.
 
Through the District Development Model, we are working to strengthen local economic development so that our municipalities should become the centre of economic growth and development and be well placed to provide better services to our people.
 
During this debate, we have heard from the Premiers about the vital work underway in our various provinces to stimulate provincial economic activity, attract higher levels of investment and create jobs.
 
Just listening to the work that is being done in our provinces gives a clear impression that indeed our country is on the move on a number of fronts.
 
We have said that infrastructure development is the flywheel of economic activity, and we are witnessing these multiplier effects on provincial GDP, local businesses and communities.
 
We welcome the massive infrastructure investment in several provinces covering projects in housing, bulk water supply, roads and other infrastructure.
 
Not only will these projects vastly improve the delivery of basic services, but they are also supporting job creation on a growing scale.
 
The visits by the national executive to our various provinces have shown great benefit and opportunities for synergy. We have been able to share best practice and give support to our provinces on a number of issues that they are dealing with.
 
Leveraging of public-private partnerships for infrastructure build in all provinces is proving to be highly effective in terms of pooling resources, sharing expertise and delivering mass infrastructure at scale.
 
We are seeing high-impact financial inflows into our provinces in mining, renewable energy, auto manufacturing, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and other key sectors.
 
This is a demonstration of ongoing confidence of domestic and international investors in these centres of economic activity.
 
For investment to grow, there must be a razor-sharp focus on improving the capacity of local government to deliver essential services that are critical to business activity, be they water, electricity or logistical infrastructure.
 
Strong municipalities are needed to achieve strong local economies.
 
We welcome the commitment of our Premiers to prioritise municipal governance and capacity building, and to support the financial sustainability of municipalities.
 
Clean water, proper sanitation, reliable electricity, effective waste management and well-maintained municipal infrastructure isn’t just good for communities; it is also good for business.
 
It reassures potential investors that are exploring investment opportunities in provinces.
 
We welcome the initiative taken by several provinces to hold local investment conferences that have raised considerable pledges.
 
We call on our respective Premiers to direct the same focus and energy towards local development at township, small town and village level.
 
We have seen, for example, how the potential of rural and eco-tourism has been effectively harnessed by several provinces to support job creation, poverty eradication, small business development and community ownership of tourism resources.
 
By leveraging their respective competitive economic advantages, our provinces are perfectly positioned to power growth, turning every metro, city, town and village into a hive of economic activity.
 
As several speakers said, we need to continue working with our traditional leaders as they continue to play an important role.
 
We are seeing an improvement in the growing cooperation between traditional leaders and local councils. We want to see more integration and more collaboration between traditional leaders and our local government entities.
 
Honourable Members,
 
A number of members spoke about the importance of education as a great instrument of transformation.
 
We welcome the suggestions and proposals that were made during this debate.
 
Education is at the heart of inclusive economic growth, job creation and social upliftment.
 
The World Bank recently released a report on South Africa’s economic performance and prospects for the medium term.
 
The report highlighted the role of education in strengthening our country’s human capital in pursuit of economic and social development.
 
Democratic South Africa inherited a legacy of Bantu Education and we have been steadily working to transform the education landscape and provide decent, quality basic education for all.
 
We are working to build an education system that produces the skills needed by the economy.
 
This means, among other things, that our children must have a strong literacy and numeracy base from the earliest years.
 
We therefore welcome the emphasis on the critical foundation years through expanding access to Early Childhood Development and improving learning outcomes in the foundational phase.
 
We concur with the sentiment expressed during this debate that technical and vocational training must be strengthened if we are to develop the skills pipeline needed for the vastly changing world of work.
 
We are committed to the development of entrepreneurship as a pathway to employment.
 
We must work to dispel the mindset that self-employment is only a route for those who cannot be absorbed by the formal economy.
 
Compared to the rest of the continent, South Africa’s rates of entrepreneurship are low and we must change this.
 
A thriving small business and cooperative sector is key to inclusive economic growth.
 
We welcome the ongoing efforts of the Department of Small Business Development to develop township and rural economies and enterprises, and the goal of creating one million new MSMEs by 2030.
 
We want a society that takes care of those in need.
 
As we drive economic growth and the creation of jobs, we are strengthening the social protection provided to poor and unemployed South Africans.
 
Despite severe financial constraints, we continue to implement pro-poor policies to uplift society’s most vulnerable in the form of social grants, school feeding schemes and free basic services for the poor.
 
This is not just about tackling poverty and improving the quality of life of South Africans.
 
It is about reducing inequality. It is about giving every person a fair chance.
 
It is about investing in the people of South Africa and enabling them to realise their potential.
 
What has also been clear in this debate is that we all want a country that is transformed, and that has shed the heavy burden of its past.
 
There is a broad consensus across the political spectrum and indeed across our society on the principle of non-racialism.
 
Our empowerment and transformation programmes recognise that to build a truly non-racial society, we must narrow inequality and redress the harmful legacy of apartheid.
 
That is why we remain committed to these programmes.
 
We will not relent in our drive to expand the participation of black and young South Africans in agriculture and other sectors of our economy.
 
We will ensure that the Transformation Fund achieves its objective of providing financial and non-financial support to black-owned enterprises to ensure their meaningful participation in the economy.
 
These policies are about eradicating the differences that still exist in our society, not entrenching them.
 
They are about empowering those who have been disempowered and protecting the rights of all.
 
Later today, we will gather at Air Force Base Swartkop in Pretoria to receive the remains of the 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in the eastern DRC.
 
We will pay tribute to our fallen soldiers and honour their contribution to the struggle for peace on the African continent.
 
Much has been said in this House and in the debate in the National Assembly earlier in the week about the deployment of the SANDF in the eastern DRC.
 
It is a debate that is welcome and necessary because South Africa’s role in peace keeping missions is fundamental to the pursuit of peace, stability and development in our own country, in the region and across the continent.
 
The decision to deploy our armed forces is not taken lightly, particularly when that deployment may put our Defence Force members in harm’s way.
 
While South Africa has contributed to the SADC mission in the DRC, we have always maintained that an inclusive negotiated resolution is required to achieving lasting peace in the region.
 
We therefore welcome the outcome of the joint summit of SADC and the East African Community in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania over the weekend, which agreed that direct negotiations and dialogue resume between all state and non-state parties, including the M23.
 
The outcomes from the joint summit are in confidence-building measures towards a sustainable peace, which will finally lead to the drawdown of the SADC troops.
 
As South Africa, we will do whatever is within our means to support the peace effort so that this conflict will finally end and the people of the region will finally know peace.
 
This weekend, I will be travelling to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
 
The AU has designated the theme for 2025 as ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations’.
 
South Africa and Ghana have been nominated to champion this theme. 

We will focus on actively engaging the African diaspora to foster meaningful connections and encourage investment in our countries.
 
This initiative is about more than reparations; it is a powerful call for unity, empowerment and the upliftment of Africa.
 
Together, we will forge a resilient continent where hope thrives, allowing people of African descent to reconnect meaningfully with our continent.
 
We live in times of great uncertainty, impacted by geopolitical events way beyond our shores.
 
Closer to home we have considerable challenges to overcome if we are to build a country of freedom, true equality and shared prosperity for all.
 
This is a time of opportunity and hope.
 
The Government of National Unity represents the best of that hope.
 
We have demonstrated that we are prepared to put our political differences aside and work for the common good.
 
This government remains united in pursuit of a South Africa that improves the material prospects of every South African man, woman and child.
 
We are committed to upholding our hard won democracy.
 
We are committed to expanding the frontiers of opportunity for all our people.
 
As we do so, we are guided by our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the rule of law.
 
As we rise from this debate, I am convinced that despite our differences, we share a common desire for a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it.
 
We share the vision of a nation that works for all.
 
I thank you.

Distinguished guests;
Members of the fourth estate, the media;
And fellow community members;

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you all to this media briefing on the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) and the progress made during the third quarter of the 2024 financial year.

The PYEI remains a cornerstone of our national efforts to address the persistent challenge of youth unemployment, ensuring that young South Africans have access to meaningful economic opportunities.

Launched in 2020 by President Ramaphosa, the PYEI is a direct response to the challenge that too many young people are not transitioning from learning to earning.

The intervention sets out priority actions which together seek to stimulate and aggregate demand and provide a seamless mechanism for young people to be linked to the opportunities generated and receive support appropriate to their context and pathway.

The PYEI coordinates, accelerates, and enhances existing programmes while driving innovation and creating pathways to earning for young people at scale.

The PYEI is focused on Four Pillars:

- Implementation of the Pathway Management Network,
- Implementation of demand-led training through a ‘pay for performance’ model
- Rollout of the revitalised National Youth Service, 
- And Implementation of interventions to stimulate local economies through the establishment of Local Ecosystem Enablement Fund.

As we enter the fifth year of the PYEI, we are pleased to report that we continue to make significant strides in unlocking earning opportunities and equipping young people with the skills and resources necessary to succeed in the labour market.

Key Achievements in Quarter 3 (October – December 2024):

• Over 53,379 earning opportunities were secured through the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN), bringing the total to 1.57 million opportunities since the inception of the PYEI.

• More than 38,864 young people accessed earning opportunities via the SA Youth platform, and an additional 14,515 opportunities were secured through the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA).

• The Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative placed 10,337 youth in various workplace experiences across sectors.

• The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) supported over 14,600 young entrepreneurs with financial and non-financial enterprise opportunities.

• The Revitalised National Youth Service (NYS) Phase 3 was successfully launched, with 13,568 new recruits, adding to a total of 82,378 youth placed in service opportunities.

Beyond these numbers, I want to highlight the innovative funding mechanisms that have enhanced the effectiveness of the PYEI.

The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, a R300 million initiative continues to create pathways for employment in digital inclusion, enterprise development, and work-integrated learning.

The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, launched in November 2023, is an outcome-based instrument launched as a strategic response to unlock jobs for excluded young people by linking contracted payments with desired outcomes.

Unlike traditional approaches to job creation, which focus on inputs and activities like training and mentorship, the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund ensures that funds are allocated to implementing organisations upon the successful placement and sustained employment of excluded young people in quality jobs.

To date, 3,347 young people have been enrolled in training programmes, 1,603 young people have been placed in jobs, and 1,247 young people have sustained employment for three-months.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation Address last week, “We are calling on business to use the SA Youth.mobi platform, which has some 4.5 million young people registered, for their hiring. We are calling on business to support the Youth Employment Service and to scale-up workplace experience opportunities over the coming year.”

These interventions align with our broader goal of transitioning young people from learning to earning in a way that is sustainable and impactful.

While we celebrate these achievements, we remain acutely aware of the work that still lies ahead. Our focus remains on scaling impactful programs, securing sustainable funding, and deepening strategic partnerships.

The road to eradicating youth unemployment is not a short one, but through continued collaboration and commitment, we will continue to break barriers and create real, lasting change.

In closing, I extend my gratitude to all stakeholders involved in making the PYEI a success.

To our young people, I reaffirm that this initiative exists for you—your ambitions, your growth, and your future. Let us continue working together to ensure that every young person in South Africa has access to the opportunities they need to thrive.

For more information on this programme and other youth focused initiatives, please visit SAYouth.Mobi which is a zero rated site.

I now invite my colleagues to provide further details on the progress we have made in this quarter.

I thank you.