Chatting to the media on Tuesday afternoon at the FNB Regional Head Office in Newton Park, Port Elizabeth, Firstrand CEO, Sizwe Nxasana talked about what he expected President Jacob Zuma to highlight in his State of the Nation address on Tuesday 17 June in Cape Town. (Scroll down for the video) "Hopefully we are going to hear a lot about economic transformation in terms of the National Development Plan," was Nxasana's opening thought. He went on to say that the areas of health and … [Read more...] about Sizwe Nxasana ahead of SONA
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PE business reacts to SONA
Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, and on behalf of local business, had the following to say in reaction to the State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma in Cape Town on Tuesday Night: Organised business in Nelson Mandela Bay listened with interest on 17 June 2014, to the State of the Nation address delivered by President Jacob Zuma to a new cabinet following the 2014 elections, in the 20th year of democracy in South Africa. This was an unrivalled … [Read more...] about PE business reacts to SONA
Municipalities must listen to people
In reaction to President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address (SONA) in the National Assembly on Tuesday night, Minister Gordhan said municipalities need to listen to the people more and respond to challenges quicker. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Pravin Gordhan says his department will up the ante to ensure that local government works more efficiently. He said this at a time when a number of municipalities have recently experienced service delivery protests … [Read more...] about Municipalities must listen to people
SONA Precis
President Jacob Zuma delivered his seventh State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday in Cape Town. Here are some of the main points of President Zuma's address: The economy will take centre stage: "The economy takes centre stage in this programme. It remains our strong belief that the most effective weapon in the campaign against poverty, is the creation of decent work, and that creating work requires faster economic growth. "We have set a growth target of 5 percent by 2019. To … [Read more...] about SONA Precis
Zuma vows radical action to address inequalities
President Jacob Zuma has pledged to address deepening inequality in South Africa, tabling a series of measures covering everything from creation of decent work to investment in key infrastructure as part of what is to be done to address the challenges facing many South Africans. In the first State of the Nation Address of the new administration, delivered on Tuesday night, President Zuma gave credit to the people of South Africa for making the country's democracy strong in the past two … [Read more...] about Zuma vows radical action to address inequalities
Investing in longer, healthier lives
President Jacob Zuma says government will work harder to increase life expectancy at birth to 63 years in 2019. Life expectancy at birth - which is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country - stood at 60 years in 2012. "The campaign to reduce child and maternal mortality ratios will continue. This will require the implementation of the National Health Insurance and the improvement of the quality of care in the public sector," President Jacob Zuma said during his State of the … [Read more...] about Investing in longer, healthier lives
Government to continue investing in education
President Jacob Zuma has assured the nation that government will continue to invest in education and skills development as it forms the key to economic growth and development. "We need engineers, electricians, plumbers, doctors, teachers and many other professionals to build our country's economy," President Zuma said during his State of the Nations Address, on Tuesday. "We will continue to promote universal access to education by ensuring that all children between ages 7 and 15 are in … [Read more...] about Government to continue investing in education
Government to address energy constraints
With the need to respond decisively to South Africa's energy constraints, government is in the process of converting the National Nuclear and Energy Executive Coordinating Committee of Cabinet into a committee that will be responsible for the oversight and direction of activities for the energy sector. Delivering the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) following his swearing in as President of the country for a second term, President Jacob Zuma said the country needs to respond … [Read more...] about Government to address energy constraints
Zuma vague on education
The Inkatha Freedom Party says that it is extremely disappointed in the President's vague and general remarks, during SONA 2014, regarding the establishment of sorely needed teacher training colleges. IFP MP on Basic and Higher Education, Mr Alfred Mpontshane said "The President is engaging in mere electioneering. He provides no specifics or time frames in regard to establishment of these additional colleges. This is 'lip service' in its most basic form" Mpontshane further stated that "We … [Read more...] about Zuma vague on education
Organised business responds to SONA 2014
Comment on behalf of Mr Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber As always, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber looks to the State of the Nation address to provide indications of concrete results of action and the implementation of measures aimed at ensuring the socio-economic stability of South Africa. In this, the twentieth year of freedom and democracy in South Africa, evidence of sustainable economic growth and development is imperative to the country's continued … [Read more...] about Organised business responds to SONA 2014
SONA emphasis on constitution as guide commended by Business Chamber
Commenting on last night's State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma in Cape Town, Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber had the following to say: The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber agrees with the focus on the National Development Plan as the road map to future economic growth in South Africa in the 2013 State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma. We agree also that the economy will have to grow threefold to create much-needed jobs. It is going … [Read more...] about SONA emphasis on constitution as guide commended by Business Chamber
SONA 2013: Business Chamber calls for action
Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has compiled this advice to Msholozi ahead of his State of the Nation Address on Valentines Day: The 2013 State of the Nation Address will be judged in the context of the National Development Plan and the steps taken to realise the dreams of Vision 2030. The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber echoes the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry's call for urgent and effective engagement between government and business to … [Read more...] about SONA 2013: Business Chamber calls for action
President must spell out measures to ensure safety of women and children
Urgent steps to bring about improved levels of policing must be announced by President Jacobs Zuma in his State of the Nation Address tomorrow as the first steps in bringing an end to the vicious rape and murder of women and children in our society. We have become a country without a soul in allowing such violence to continue. We lack visible policing and training of police detectives. Furthermore, we lack proper statistical data and research that reflect the actual number of incidents of … [Read more...] about President must spell out measures to ensure safety of women and children
The SONA Good and Bad from a PERCCI Perspective
Reacting to the State of the Nation Address, Port Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PERCCI) chief executive officer Kevin Hustler said: PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address definitely provided positive indications of a will to encourage investment and so create jobs. The question now is whether the President and his colleagues in government and the public service can deliver on his promises and that he will follow through on his pledge to turn all the good intentions … [Read more...] about The SONA Good and Bad from a PERCCI Perspective
Government Alone is Unable to Provide Jobs
President Jacob Zuma has conceded that government alone will not be in a position to provide the much needed jobs for South Africa and has called on the country's private sector to come on board in the employment creation drive. He told the SABC, in an interview aired on Sunday, that government will have to partner with other social partners to achieve its employment targets. "It's not like the kind of challenge that could be faced by one, it's a challenge that needs all of us to … [Read more...] about Government Alone is Unable to Provide Jobs
