Saftu: Ramaphosa needs to give practical solutions to solve ‘catastrophic’ unemployment levels
South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) says its only focus ahead of Saturday’s inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa as president is the issue of job creation.
More than 30 000 people are expected to attend the ceremony at Loftus Versfeld, where Cyril Ramaphosa will start his tenure as the country’s sixth democratic president.
Saftu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says even very good leaders such as Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela failed to solve the issues of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
“When Ramaphosa addresses the masses on Saturday, we want to hear the practical steps he will take to solve the catastrophic levels of unemployment, especially amongst the youth.”
Vavi says a plan also needs to be put in place to reverse the decline in economic growth. The South African Reserve Bank on Thursday cut its growth forecast for the year down to 1% from a previous 1.3%.
Efficient Group economist Francois Stofberg also believes the president has a lot on his plate when it comes to growing the economy and creating jobs.
"When it comes to the reconfiguration of the cabinet, Ramaphosa has a lot of work to in terms of rebuilding sentiment and trust and changing policies that are more favoured towards businesses and market-friendly than what the African National Congress already has to grow the economy.
"One of the big headaches for the president will be external factors at work. It is very difficult to drag yourself out of a hole if the rest of the world is against you. Not just pertaining to South Africa but against emerging markets."
Stofberg believes Ramaphosa is starting to change the underlying drivers of the economy, that could lead to a more prosperous South Africa.
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