Cape Town - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will make yet another appearance in the National Assembly, on Thursday 9 March 2017, to brief the National Assembly on government policy and interventions on a number of critical national issues including the quest for inclusive growth for transformation.

The briefing by Deputy President Ramaphosa arises from questions that members of the National Assembly have posed to the Deputy President and are scheduled for oral replies with specific reference to inclusive growth for transformation, economic development, nation-building, social cohesion and  human resource development.

The Deputy President will utilise the opportunity of this session to highlight steps government is undertaking in its quest for inclusive growth for transformation as part of national efforts to push back the frontiers of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

In this pursuit of this objective, the government has committed itself to a programme of radical socio-economic transformation to ensure fundamental change in the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy to ensure a better life for all South Africans in particularly the poor.

Deputy President Ramaphosa who is also the Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council charged with the task of developing a national strategy for skills development is called upon to reflect on what the impact of the strategic partnership between government and private sector has been on skills development in the country.

In the past two years, Deputy President Ramaphosa has led government delegations on several official visits abroad including Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, the Peoples Republic of China, Mexico and Cuba to exchange views and to learn from the experiences of these countries in skills development and training to achieve their national developmental objectives. In this regard a number of agreements were reached to create training opportunities for South African students to study abroad in a number of critical areas required by our economy.

The Deputy President has also been called upon to brief the National Assembly on measures that government intends introducing as part of social cohesion and moral regeneration in our communities particularly those affected by the recent protests against drugs and other criminal activities. In the same breadth the Deputy President will brief members of the national legislature on efforts to fight different forms of discrimination which undermine social cohesion and nation building.

Once more the Deputy President is expected to reinforce the notion of the constitutional imperative of accountability of members of the national executive to parliament through appearances and participation in various forums created by parliament. In this regard, Deputy President Ramaphosa in his capacity as Leader of Government Business has ensured a fruitful relationship and accountability of members of the executive to parliament.

On international relations the Deputy President will reflect on bilateral relations between South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho with specific reference to the construction of the Polihali Dam expected to ensure bulk water supply to Gauteng province.


Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria