Ramaphosa hails 'new era' of collaboration with business under GNU

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed 'a new era of business and government collaboration' after a meeting on Tuesday evening.

The President convened the meeting with members of Cabinet and senior business leaders to pave the way for this new era under South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU).

A statement from the Presidency said this is aimed at strengthening the partnership formed over a year ago to stimulate economic growth and job creation by addressing constraints on growth in three key areas.

The three pillars of the partnership are: energy, transport and logistics, and crime and corruption.

At the meeting, both business and government leaders committed to build upon progress achieved to date and accelerate implementation over the next 12-18 months in line with the strategic priorities of the GNU.

Stephen Grootes interviews Martin Kingston, chairperson of the Steering Committee of Business for South Africa (B4SA), who attended the event.

Kingston describes the first meeting held under the auspices of the seventh administration as a good one, stretching to three hours.

While they did take stock of the progress made over the last 12 months under the previous administration, the focus is on looking forward both in the immediate short term but also over the medium term.

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"We need to see how we can course correct where necessary and improve the trajectory, because if we're not going to get to growth of 3%-plus we're not going to address the unemployment challenges that we're all aware of."

Martin Kingston, Chair - B4SA Steering Committee

He echoed the Presidency's view of the commitment expressed by both sides, saying everyone involved has been heartened by this.

"I think we were all very enthused by the significant level of attention that was being paid by government, by the ministers that were present and the President himself as well as by the business leaders, as to how we can enhance the partnership particularly around those areas that weren't working,"

Martin Kingston, Chair - B4SA Steering Committee

The B4SA chairperson notes that all of the ministers present at the meeting have said previously in public that they're embracing the role of the private sector, who of course need the cooperation of government as well.

"The private sector equally needs to be cognisant of the fact that government is ultimately the regulator; it is the party that has to design, develop and implement structural reform on the back of policy...and we've had constructive discussions over the past 12 months under the sixth administration."

"There's no doubt that under the seventh administration it's even more pressing that there's a level of enthusiasm, energy and commitment from both sides that I think is reflecting now in higher confidence levels (in the country)."

Martin Kingston, Chair - B4SA Steering Committee

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