Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Friday urged all sectors of society to work with the Government of National Unity (GNU) to ensure a stable, efficient and effective democracy, while he promised that the new multi-party government would prioritise economic growth and job creation. 

Mashatile was speaking at a two-day conference hosted by the University of Johannesburg and the National School of Government, where attendees reflected on the state of South Africa 30 years into democracy, under the theme ‘Three Decades of Democracy in South Africa: Towards Social, Economic and Global Transformation’.

Mashatile, who delivered the keynote address on day two, said the reflection at the conference must ensure that over the next three decades there is meaningful social, economic and global transformation.

He pointed out that since the inception of its democracy, South Africa has made significant strides in overcoming past decisions. 

He said there had been remarkable progress in social transformation and pointed out that the impact of democracy on social change had been “profound and far-reaching”. 

"...the 2024 election outcomes present us an opportunity to return to the task of building a South Africa that will no longer be defined by race, class or gender, a South Africa where all have equal opportunities," he said.

The GNU's goal, he stated, was to encourage fixed capital investment, industrialisation and job creation and to transform citizens' lives. 

While he noted that the 41.9% unemployment rate was an increase of 0.8% in the first quarter of 2024, compared with the fourth quarter of 2023, he acknowledged that the youth continued to bear the brunt of unemployment, with those aged 15 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years holding the highest unemployment rates at 59.7% and 40.7%, respectively.

He stressed that government "remains intentional" in investing in education, skills development and providing quality healthcare.

He laid out that, over the next five years, government’s priorities were inclusive growth, maintaining and optimising the social wage, and building a capable, ethical and developmental State. 

"While we have made significant progress in changing the spatial outlook of towns and cities, government will invest in building developmental, resilient and strong local government," he said. 

He pointed out that developing a solid strategy for economic transformation should be at the centre of the GNU's dialogue. 

“As a testament to the seventh administration's promising start and the commitment of various political parties within the GNU, we have agreed to develop a common programme to create a better, more equal, and more just South Africa. For us to reach our objective, the National Development Plan 2030 goals remain the central pillar to guide the development approach, which will inform the outcomes to be achieved in this administration,” Mashatile said.

ACCOUNTABILITY 

University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance head Professor Themba Maseko pointed out that there was limited accountability in the country's current governance framework. 

He said the challenge was the extent to which the country's governance system enabled the country to achieve social justice. 

He noted maladministration in the different spheres of local, national and provincial government, noting that elected representatives were not being held accountable. 

He said the country's governance system needed to be strengthened.

Mashatile agreed and said, while he believed South Africa had sound policies, it struggled with execution, owing to deficiencies in accountability.  

Accountability, he said, was essential for successful implementation.  

“Our motto now is to strategically put our policies into action. To deliver results, we must invest in preparation, devise a workable plan and be more meticulous in our implementation. We are exploring the concept and science of deliverology as a way to do our work,” he said.

He said programmes such as Operation Vulindlela in the Presidency would help to strengthen government’s transformation efforts, particularly in the areas of poverty, racial inequality and economic development.