President Ramaphosa Puts Economic Growth and Jobs at Centre of Govt Agenda

The President said the focus of government is not only to expand the economy but to ensure that growth reaches ordinary citizens and contributes to lasting social and economic transformation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed that economic growth remains at the heart of government's efforts to improve the lives of South Africans, stressing that growth must create jobs, support businesses and attract investment.

Responding to the Presidency Budget Vote debate in Parliament on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said economic growth cannot be viewed as a statistic detached from everyday realities. He said its impact is measured by whether young people can find work, whether entrepreneurs can expand their businesses and whether investors are willing to create new opportunities in the country.

The President said the focus of government is not only to expand the economy but to ensure that growth reaches ordinary citizens and contributes to lasting social and economic transformation. He added that the Presidency remains committed to its priorities and will continue concentrating on issues that directly affect South Africans rather than being distracted by unrelated political debates.

Youth Unemployment Remains a Major Concern

Ramaphosa described youth unemployment as one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa's future. Recent labour market data shows unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 remains above 60%, while more than 40% of those between 25 and 34 are without work. The President pointed to several initiatives aimed at helping young people gain employment and work experience. Through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, more than 2.5 million unemployed South Africans have received work and livelihood opportunities.

He highlighted the Basic Education Employment Initiative, which provided work experience to nearly 200,000 young people in schools during the past year. Government has also continued supporting programmes in social employment, the creative sector, metropolitan municipalities and the National Youth Service. The SA Youth platform has also expanded significantly, with more than 900,000 additional young people joining over the past year, bringing total registrations to 5.7 million.

Reforms and Investment Showing Positive Results

Ramaphosa said government reforms are beginning to produce visible results across several sectors of the economy. He credited the Energy Action Plan, Eskom's recovery programme and investment in renewable energy for helping bring an end to load shedding. He also noted improvements at Transnet, where rail volumes, port activity and financial performance have shown signs of recovery.

According to the President, reforms being implemented through Operation Vulindlela are helping improve conditions for investment in electricity, telecommunications, logistics, water services and the visa system.

Ramaphosa also defended the value of investment conferences, saying they have helped rebuild confidence between government and business. Since the launch of the South Africa Investment Conference, the country has secured investment pledges worth about R1.5 trillion. More than R634 billion of those commitments have already been invested in projects including factories, renewable energy facilities, mines, data centres and production infrastructure.

The President said these investments are creating jobs, developing skills and supporting economic activity in communities across the country, while strengthening South Africa's long-term growth prospects.