File
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to every South African for the courage and the perseverance with which they confronted the coronavirus crisis this year.
Reflecting on 2020, the President said in the face of this unprecedented crisis, South Africans demonstrated the true meaning of ‘ubuntu’.
“Working together, we have mobilised the nation’s resources under difficult conditions and in a very short space of time to support poor families, protect jobs and keep businesses afloat. It has been a year of uncertainty, pain, worry and loss,” he said.
President Ramaphosa also paid tribute to health and social services workers, the SAPS and SANDF as well as teachers and learners, administrators and school governing bodies for having worked so hard to save the academic year and to ensure that the young people of our country progress and succeed.
Looking ahead to 2021, President Ramaphosa said it would be a near year to rebuild the economy, to rebuild businesses, restore jobs, and to continue the drive for new investment.
“Working together in partnership, we are undertaking an ambitious recovery plan
to build new roads and water projects, human settlements and power generation plants.”
“We have made important progress in vital economic reforms to ensure we have a secure supply of affordable energy; that we have cheaper, faster and more accessible broadband; and that our ports and railways are more efficient and more competitive.”
“We have harnessed technology as never before to keep our economy working, and we need to use the great advances we have made to shape a new world of work that is more productive, more efficient and more focused on the needs of people.”
Ramaphosa said the introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area would also fundamentally change the economic fortunes of the continent.
“It is the start of a new era of trade between African countries when the continent will produce the goods and services it needs when its economies will grow, industrialise and diversify when it will realise the great potential of its abundant natural resources,” he said.
The President said the year ahead would be challenging and difficult, with the country in the midst of the second wave of coronavirus infections.
He said while greatly encouraged by the progress made in developing an effective vaccine, it would be some time before the pandemic ends.
“The year ahead will therefore require our greatest effort and resilience,” he said.
