When, on February 7, I asked my favourite search engine this question, “What are the most serious problems in South Africa today?”, it directed me to the South African government’s very own website, under the tagline ‘Let’s grow South Africa together’.
And up popped government’s priorities listed in the President’s 2021 State of the Nation Address (SoNA), delivered on February 11, 2021.
I thought that you might want an update on the progress that has been made with respect to the priorities outlined in the 2021 SoNA. There were four priorities: to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic; to accelerate economic recovery; to implement economic reforms so as to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth; and to fight corruption and strengthen the State.
The 2021 SoNA also outlined 20 ‘key issues’: economic reconstruction and recovery; job creation; education; health; rural development; fighting crime; gender-based violence; land reform; the anticorruption drive; government and opportunities for the youth; the National Development Plan 2030; the National Infrastructure Plan; the New Growth Path (a policy aimed at enhancing growth, employment creation and equity); the Industrial Policy Action Plan; resolving the energy challenge; the Outcomes Approach (a Cabinet-approved approach to service delivery); government opinion pieces on current issuers; Local Government Elections 2016; Elections 2014; and 20 years of freedom and democracy (2014).
Returning to the priorities – the first priority was to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 28.2% of South Africans are fully vaccinated. As you will recall, last week’s instalment of this column dealt with the World Bank loan to support government in “efforts to accelerate its Covid-19 response”. So, that priority has not been achieved.
The second priority was to accelerate economic recovery. Well, as Bloomberg reported late last year, South Africa’s “economy is stuck in its longest downward cycle since World War II and hasn’t grown by more than 3% annually since 2012”. On January 26, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its growth forecast for South Africa’s economy to 1.9%. If the IMF’s past practice is anything to go by, expect further growth forecast cuts. Only in October 2021, the IMF forecast growth of 2.2% for 2022. Even according to the most positive projections, the growth rate won’t be more than 3%. So, that priority too has not been achieved.
The third priority was to implement economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth. In the third quarter of 2021, unemployment hit a new record of 34.9%; the rate in terms of the expanded definition was 46.6%. Inclusive growth is defined as “economic growth that raises standards of living for broad swaths of a population”. On economic reforms, government’s own website is silent. So, that priority has not been achieved either.
The last priority was to fight corruption and strengthen the State. On February 1, a media release titled ‘Presidency Receives Part Two of State Capture Commission Report’ was posted on government’s website. It states: “The President will submit the Commission report to Parliament by June 30 with an indication of his intentions with regard to implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.” So, that priority too has not been achieved.
As he concluded the 2020 SoNA, the President quoted from “the inspired lyrics of one of South Africa’s most treasured musicians”: “We may face high mountains, Must cross rough seas, . . . As we climb to reach our destiny, A new age has begun.”
Let me caution by recalling a story that my grandfather once told me. It’s about a young man who wanted to prove his undying love for his very special lady. So, he set about to scale the highest mountain, cross the widest desert, and sail the seven seas. His lady subsequently left him as he was never home.
It is time to stay at home and do the work.