Cape Town - In one of his first question and answer session with members of the National Assembly following the delivery of the State of the Nation Address, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday 2 March 2016 outline to the National Assembly steps that the government is undertaking in leading our country to uproot racism in all its manifestations and to build a non-racial democratic society.
 
The session in the National Assembly on Wednesday 2 March 2016 takes place against the background of the recent resurgence of acts, statements and comments from various quarters in our society inspired by the narrow racist world view.
 
Only by acting together, black and white, as equals and fellow countrymen and women can we roundly defeat all forms of racism wherever it occurs in our society and deepen our national effort to build a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
 
Deputy President Ramaphosa will also during this session brief the National Assembly on government efforts to stabilise the management of the South African Post Office in particular and other state owned enterprises in general.
 
President Jacob Zuma has assigned Deputy President Ramaphosa to chair the Inter-Ministerial Committee charged with the responsibility of the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Review Commission on state-owned enterprises.
 
State owned enterprises play a major and critical role in assisting the country to achieve its developmental goals of among others pushing back the frontiers of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
 
Underlining the role of state-owned enterprises, during delivery of the state of the nation address, President Jacob Zuma said “for state-owned companies to contribute to the successful implementation of the National Development Plan, they must be financially sound. They must be properly governed and managed. We will ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Review Commission on state-owned enterprises which outlines how the institutions should be managed.
 
‘’We have to streamline and sharpen the mandates of the companies and ensure that where there are overlaps in the mandates, there is immediate rationalisation. Those companies that are no longer relevant to our development agenda will be phased out.”
 
In addition Deputy President Ramaphosa will brief the National Assembly on current discussions at NEDLAC by government, labour, business and communities to reach an agreement on the national minimum wage.

Stakeholders are in agreement that the introduction of the national minimum wage will assist in the restoration of dignity of our people while helping to address challenges of poverty and unemployment. Stakeholders continue to engage on the level at which the national minimum wage should be set.
 
The Deputy President’s engagement in the National Assembly will take place as follows:
 
Time: 15h00
Venue: National Assembly, Cape Town
Date: 2 March 2016
 

Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria