Davos: President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed the South African government’s commitment to collaborate with all social partners to achieve inclusive growth that benefits all citizens. This declaration comes as South Africa presents its agenda of partnership and progress at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Ramaphosa will outline South Africa’s priorities for its G20 Presidency during the meeting. The President stated that the key message for Davos is the ongoing commitment to partnerships aimed at inclusive growth and sustainable development. He emphasized the importance of cooperation across society and encouraged global companies to partner with governments, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders in emerging markets.
Central to South Africa’s G20 agenda is the promotion of cooperation among G20 and other countries on pressing global issues. President Ramaphosa stressed that this cooperation should include all social for
mations, not just governments. Engagement groups from various sectors, such as business, labor, civil society, and the judiciary, will facilitate dialogue, following the approach of the Brazilian G20 Presidency in 2024 with the establishment of a G20 Social Forum.
The President highlighted that when the 7th Administration took office last year, it committed to fostering solutions through societal partnerships. Since then, the government has prioritized partnership in its initiatives. The nation’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of collaboration in safeguarding lives and livelihoods, showcasing effective coordination within the state and with other sectors.
One notable initiative, Operation Vulindlela, has united government departments and public institutions to reform areas including energy, logistics, telecommunications, and water infrastructure. Structures like the President’s Coordinating Council bring together leaders from different government levels to address shared c
hallenges.
The 7th Administration has also fostered partnerships beyond government. For instance, the Presidential eThekwini Working Group was established to support the metro in restoring business confidence and addressing service delivery issues, with progress made in water supply, tourism infrastructure, and law enforcement.
In addressing the electricity crisis, partnerships have been crucial in reducing load shedding severity. The National Electricity Crisis Committee has coordinated efforts across government departments, state-owned companies, businesses, labor, and social partners. Rail and port operations are also stabilizing due to efforts supporting Transnet’s recovery.
The President noted the structured cooperation between Government and business to remove barriers to inclusive growth, emphasizing the alignment of roles to drive economic growth and job creation. Cooperation extends to areas beyond immediate economic concerns, such as a national strategy to end gender-based violence and femicide,
and collaboration with civil society through bodies like the South African National Aids Council and the Human Resource Development Council.