Issue 43 | 15 February 2013
 
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PRESIDENT ZUMA OUTLINES THE STATE OF THE NATION

 

“As South Africans, we should continue to have one primary goal – to make our country a truly great and prosperous nation.”
 
 

President Jacob Zuma delivered the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) last night, 14 February, to a joint sitting of Parliament.

The 2013 SoNA was the first that was delivered in the context of the National Development Plan (NDP), which has been adopted as the high-level framework and national roadmap to which all government programmes and plans will be aligned from 2013 with a focus on implementation. The plan was endorsed by all political parties in the National Assembly on 1 August last year, and enjoys the support of all sectors of society. The NDP was produced by the National Planning Commission in The Presidency, which is chaired by Minister Trevor Manuel with Cyril Ramaphosa as Deputy Chairperson. The NPC was established by President Zuma in 2009 and was given the task of producing the national plan within 18 months.

In SoNA 2013, the President provided an update on all key programmatic areas, especially the five priorities, education, health, creating decent work, the fight against crime as well as rural development and land reform. He outlined the progress made in the implementation of the New Growth Path (NGP), the economic strategy within the NDP. The NGP promotes inclusive growth and job creation in six job drivers. These are infrastructure development, agriculture, mining and beneficiation, manufacturing, the green economy and tourism.

Infrastructure


President Zuma began this year’s SoNA by reporting on the progress made by his Administration – highlighting major milestones on key infrastructure projects crucial to the country’s NGP.

By the end of March this year, starting from 2009, government will have spent about R860 billion on infrastructure. Various projects are being implemented around the country. Examples President Zuma quoted in his speech are construction of the first phase of the Mokolo and Crocodile River Water Augmentation and bulk water distribution system for the De Hoop Dam.

A growing economy


President Zuma said that government would engage business, labour and other social partners to remove obstacles in the way of growing the economy and that the NDP outlined interventions that could put the economy on a better footing.

Fighting corruption


President Zuma listed the successes of the Special Investigating Unit in their fight against corruption. To further boost the fight against corruption, he promised to fill all vacant posts at the upper echelons of the criminal justice system.

Addressing violence against women


President Zuma applauded all sectors involved in the campaigns against violence against women that have taken place already, highlighting that such acts will not be tolerated. He told Parliament that he had directed law-enforcement agencies to treat these cases with the utmost urgency and importance.

Land reform


“The land question is a highly emotive matter, which we must resolve amicably within the framework of the Constitution and the law”, President Zuma said. Government will use lessons learnt in the implementation of the land reform programme to improve the process.
 
 

... ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
 
 

“Our vision of a better Africa in a better world will receive great impetus when we host the fifth BRICS Summit next month in Durban.”
 

“This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Organisation of African Unity which has been succeeded by the African Union.

“We pay tribute to the OAU for its relentless struggle for the decolonisation of our continent, including contributing to our own freedom.

“We will continue to work for a stronger and more effective organisation of our Union.

“The NEPAD programme as well as the African Peer Review Mechanism have just celebrated their 10th year of existence.

“As the convener of the NEPAD Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative, South Africa continues to work with other champions to implement high-impact infrastructure projects on the continent.

“On peace and security, we stand by the people of Mali in their effort to claim and assert the territorial integrity of their country.

“We urge the leadership in the Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau and Somalia to continue their march towards lasting peace for the sake of their people. We remain firmly opposed to unconstitutional change of government.

“We are encouraged by the developments between Sudan and South Sudan. We commend our former President Thabo Mbeki and other members of the AU High-Level Panel for the dedicated manner in which they have been working with the two sides.

“We are in solidarity with the DRC as the country battles the menace to its security.

“South Africa will continue supporting Africa's peace efforts, including through mediation, troop contribution for peacekeeping, and by providing material and financial assistance.

“In this regard, we look forward to the conclusion of political dialogues in Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

“Our vision of a better Africa in a better world will receive great impetus when we host the fifth BRICS Summit next month in Durban.

“We are inspired by the exponential growth of bilateral relations, diplomatically and economically, between South Africa and other BRICS countries.

“Strengthening North-South relations remains central to our foreign policy agenda.

“We reaffirm our partnership with countries of the North, especially the USA, Europe and Japan.

“The UN’s 70th anniversary provides an opportunity to take forward the transformation of the UN Security Council.

“We shall continue to use the G20 to represent the aspirations of the people of Africa and push for the transformation of Bretton Woods institutions.

“South Africa’s internationalism has a strong element of solidarity to it. We stand with the people of Palestine as they strive to turn a new leaf in their struggle for their right to self-determination; hence we supported their bid for statehood.

“The expansion of Israeli settlements into Palestinian territories is a serious stumbling block to the resolution of the conflict.

“The right of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara has to be realised.

“We remain firm in our call for the lifting of the economic embargo against Cuba.

“Working together we can do more to create a better Africa and a better world."
 
 

SONA IN NUMBERS
 
  • 21% - the proportion of South Africa's exports accounted for by countries in the Eurozone, which is still in the throes of a debt crisis.
  • 11 million - South Africa's target for new jobs created by 2030, according to the National Development Plan. The country's economy will have to grow three-fold for this target to be reached.
  • R860 billion - the amount the Government will have spent on infrastructure between 2009 and March this year.
  • 675 - kilometres of electricity transmission lines have been laid in the last year to connect fast-growing economic centres and to bring power to rural areas.
  • R47 billion - the value of contracts for renewable energy projects signed last year by the Government and various independent power producers.
  • 28 - the number of wind, solar and small hydro projects that have begun to be developed in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State under the renewable energy programme.
  • R400 million - the value of investments in green economy projects so far approved under the R800-million national green fund established by the Government last year.
  • 315 000 - the number of state-subsidised solar geysers rolled out since January this year. Most of these were installed in poor households, many of whom had never had running hot water before.
  • 200 000 - the number of new households connected to the national electricity grid in 2012.
  • 12,1 million - the number of South African households that now have access to electricity, amounted to 85% of all households.
  • 9 out of 10 - the proportion of South African households with access to running water.
  • 7 000 - new fibre-optic cables laid out in South Africa last year by private and public-sector companies.
  • 100% - South Africa's target for broadband Internet penetration by 2020.
  • 98 - the number of new schools that will have been built in South Africa between March 2012 and March 2013. More than 40 of these will have replaced "mud schools" in the Eastern Cape.
  • R3 billion - the value of projects so far approved under the Jobs Fund established in 2010/11.

  • 11 740 - the number of young South Africans enrolled in various training programmes under the National Rural Youth Services Corps run by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
  • 10,7% - the rate of growth of tourist arrivals in South Africa between January and September 2012, compared to a global average of 4%.
  • 73% - the proportion of the world's rhino population being conserved in South Africa, which has resulted in the country being targeted by international poaching syndicates. The Government is working with recipient and transit countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and China, and is intensifying its efforts to combat the scourge.
  • R126 million - the amount committed to the Human Settlements Development Grant between April and December 2012, in order to deliver houses to people in the "gap market".
  • 2,2 million - the number of people reached by the Government's adult education programme, Khari Gude, between 2008 and 2011.
  • 63% - the proportion of South Africa's population now living in urban areas. This is likely to increase to over 70% by 2030.
  • 363 - the number of life sentences secured in 2012/13 by the country's Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units - representing a conviction rate of 73% for crimes against women above 18 years old and 70% for crimes against children under 18 years of age.

(Acknowledgement: southafrica.info)

For the full speech, visit: www.gov.za
 
 

SoNA COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH PROGRAMME
 

First-ever community and stakeholder outreach programme heard views of the public on a number of issues.
 

The State of the Nation Address (SoNA), delivered by President Jacob Zuma in Parliament last night, was preceded by a first-ever community and stakeholder outreach programme by principals in The Presidency, designed to hear the views of the public on a number of issues.

 
On 12 February 2013, President Zuma visited the Tshwane South Further Education and Training (FET) College in Mabopane, Pretoria. The President met with FET college principals last year and this year obtained a first-hand experience of how FET colleges operated, given the emphasis government was placing on the development of technical skills needed by the economy.

Visits were also undertaken by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to Worcester to interact with farmers and farm workers, and Minister Trevor Manuel and Deputy National Planning Commission chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa held a dialogue with small business and the youth around Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha.

President Zuma closed the SoNA week with a visit to the displaced families who live at OR Tambo Hall, Khayelitsha, following the devastating fires in December.
 
 
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