South Africa : President Ramaphosa Presents Action Plan

South African Parliamentarians have been urged to work hard for the peace and unity of the State. The call was made by President Cyril Ramaphosa while presenting his government’s plan of action in Parliament. In his address at the City Hall in Cape Town, a replacement venue after a fire gutted the Parliament building two years ago, Mr Ramaphosa firmly stated economic growth must “support the empowerment of black South Africans and women and those who in the past had been relegated to the fringes of the economy”. He said he will focus on the expansion of the basket of essential food items exempt from the VAT sales tax, in order to address the high cost of living. On health, the ANC leader promised to launch compulsory universal healthcare for all after consultations with stakeholders.  He reiterated that, despite the political differences of his diverse government, dubbed “government of national unity,” it was united in tackling South Africa's three biggest problems: an unemployment crisis, crippling poverty and inequality, and the failure of state institutions that have been eroded by corruption and neglect that's largely been blamed on the ANC Party.
The opening of the new Parliamentary term on July 18, 2024 comes nearly two months after a historic election that reshaped the country's politics and led to the formation of an unprecedented multiparty government coalition. The coalition which brings at least 10 parties together to govern Africa’s most industrialized country is known...