Deputy President Paul Mashatile has once again assured citizens that the government of national unity (GNU) is working towards developing a common programme to create a better, more equal, and a more just South Africa.

‘For us to reach our objective, the National Development Plan 2030 goals remain the central pillar to guide the development approach, which will inform the outcomes to be achieved in this administration,’ he said on Friday.

He announced that in the next five years, the GNU will focus on strategic priorities, including creating inclusive economic growth and job creation, maintaining and optimising the social wage, and building a capable ethical and developmental State.

In addition, the seventh administration said it would focus on fixed capital investment, industrialisation, job creation, and the transformation of people’s lives.

‘We remain intentional in investing in people through education, skills development, and providing quality healthcare. We want to change our communities’ spatial ou
tlook by building inclusive cities and providing them with services,’ he said on Friday.

The Deputy President was speaking at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in Auckland Park, delivering a keynote address on the second day of the conference co-hosted by the UJ and the National School of Government (NSG).

The second-in-command used the platform to call upon all sectors of society to work with the State to ensure it was stable, efficient and an effective democracy.

In addition, he described the GNU as parties behind a united agenda.

National dialogue

‘We have now set our sights on deepening this initiative by engaging in a substantive national dialogue as proposed by the President.’

According to the Deputy, the national dialogue aims to initiate fresh conversations that tackle relevant and unresolved issues that affect most South Africans, particularly the impoverished.

Economic transformation

He told attendees that developing a solid strategy for economic transformation should be at the centre of t
he dialogue and believes that the discussion will have a positive effect on poverty, inequality, and unemployment levels.

The Deputy President pleaded with the guests to provide solutions that would harness the potential for South Africa to become the world’s ‘finest’ civilisations.

‘I firmly believe that our nation possesses sound policies, yet we struggle with their execution due to a deficiency in accountability. I believe that accountability is essential for successful implementation.

‘Our motto now is to strategically put our policies into action.’

He is of the view that to deliver results, South Africa must invest in devising a workable plan and be more meticulous in its implementation.

Democracy

As South Africa continues to reflect on 30 years of democracy, he urged people to remember those who gave their lives and fought for freedom, equality, and justice.

While there are still challenges, he reminded attendees that since democracy, South Africa has made significant strides in overcoming divisi
ons of the past, demonstrating remarkable progress in social transformation.

‘Let us draw inspiration from our collective journey and utilise it to propel us towards a better future.’

International guest speaker and renowned expert in public administration and management, Dr Ra’ed BenShams, said regardless of the form of government, the ultimate goal must be to serve the people.

He used the analogy of the formation of a new river system through the merging of multiple streams, symbolising the creation of a new government coalition.

He discussed the importance of public sector reform in addressing inequality and building social cohesion.

The expert also offered a fresh perspective on South Africa’s past, present, and future, emphasising the need for unity and hope for a brighter future.

BenShams also stressed the importance of effective communication and collaboration with different communities to ensure efficient service delivery.

‘We must be willing to be tolerant of the different values and principle
s forming our different cultures. We strive to do so and embrace all necessary actions because our paramount responsibility is to provide clean water to our people,’ said BenShams.

Source: South African Government News Agency