President Cyril Ramaphosa tabled the budget vote for the Presidency in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Image: Zwelethemba Kostile / Parliament of RSA
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said his office will focus its work on the priorities set out in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to grow the economy and create jobs in 2026/27.
Tabling the budget vote for the Presidency in the National Assembly, Ramaphosa clarified that his office was not a service delivery department but a co-ordinating institution.
“The Presidency does not build roads, deliver water or supply medicines to clinics,” he said.
“It is the strategic centre from which the government drives implementation, resolves blockages, mobilises partnerships and ensures that the commitments we make to the people of South Africa are translated into tangible results”.
Ramaphosa also said the mandate of the Presidency was to provide strategic leadership across the entire state.
“Its resources are therefore invested in long-term planning, policy coordination, evidence-based decision-making, performance monitoring and implementation oversight.”
Ramaphosa used his address to welcome the newly-established parliamentary committee that will play oversight on the Presidency.
“Strengthening parliamentary oversight is good for transparency, accountability and our democracy,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said as the economy was on the mend, his office continued to coordinate the national investment drive and to broaden markets for South African goods.
While listing some government’s achievements in his SONA-like speech, Ramaphosa said events from afar were threatening to slow South Africa's emerging economic recovery.
“The attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, and the conflict that has now engulfed much of the region, have set off a global oil crisis.
“The effects of the surge in oil prices, and of other critical supplies like fertiliser, are likely to undermine much of the progress we had made in bringing down inflation and the cost of living.”
The president warned that the developments were likely to slow economic growth and hamper efforts to create jobs.
“We should anticipate that conditions will be difficult for the next while. These developments are unfolding as the latest employment figures from Stats SA show a decline in employment in the last quarter.”
He named the fight against crime and corruption as his priorities.
“We look forward to receiving the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System which is chaired by Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga.”
Ramaphosa also said the Presidency was at the forefront of mobilising South Africans from all walks of life behind the national effort to end violence against women.
“We continue to strengthen the response of the police, prosecutors and courts, and are improving support and care for survivors of gender-based violence.”
He also said there was a need to address the challenge of migration, saying if the process was well managed and regulated, migration could help drive growth and opportunity for South Africans.
“As announced in SONA, the government is taking decisive action to address this challenge. We are cracking down on violations of immigration laws,” he said, adding that there are increasing inspections of workplaces and prosecution of employers who violate labour laws.
There was also strengthening of border security, stamping out corruption in the immigration system and closing the loopholes in fragmented immigration laws.
Ramaphosa called on South Africans not to give in to violence, xenophobia or vigilantism.
“As a society, we must stand against all forms of disinformation, incitement, racism and ethnic mobilisation,” he said.
“We will strengthen and enforce our laws, while upholding the Constitution and the human dignity of all. This will enable us to deal with illegal immigration without turning against one another.”
Ramaphosa added that pilot dialogues will be held across the country between June and August this year.
“These will include ward-based engagements, digital engagements and sectoral dialogues. I call on all South Africans to come together once more and be part of crafting a new vision for South Africa.”
In what can be viewed as veiled reference to the pending impeachment, Ramaphosa spoke of the need for one “overriding priority” where the government must serve the people and treat them with respect and dignity.
“Let us not allow ourselves to be deterred by distractions or political intrigue. The national executive, Parliament and our courts are mandated to serve the South African people and give effect to the promise of the Constitution. This must be our overriding priority.”
ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli called on the parties to support the budget vote, saying the Presidency is the centre for strategic leadership.
“When we vote for this budget, we are not merely approving administrative expenditures, we are resourcing the centre of government to coordinate delivery, enforce accountability, rebuild the state capacity and give practical expression to priorities of the Medium Term Development Plan,” said Ntuli.
MK Party MP Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala said they would not support the budget vote because it was full of lofty ideals.
“It says grow the economy but you don't have power under the neo-liberal economy,” she said.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za