GOVERNMENT LEADERS TAKE STOCK OF SIXTH ADMINISTRATION

Source: SAnews.gov.za

With the term of the sixth administration coming to an end, government leaders are discussing the implementation and progress of the priorities that it set to achieve at the beginning of its term.

“This is the final Cabinet Lekgotla for the term of the sixth administration. It will look at the work done on the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), which is a government programme that sets priorities that we had to implement in this administration,” Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday in Pretoria.

​​The MTSF 2019-2024 is both a five-year implementation plan and an integrated monitoring framework, which focuses on the seven priorities and related interventions of the sixth administration of government, and the integrated monitoring framework focuses on monitoring outcomes, indicators and targets towards the achievement of the priorities.

The priorities of the MTSF include building a capable, ethical and developmental state; economic transformation and job creation; education, skills and health and consolidating the social wage through reliable and quality basic services.

It further prioritises spatial integration, human settlements and local government, social cohesion and safe communities as well as a better Africa and world.

“We are also going to look at the progress that we have made in implementing the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) and the progress we are making in preparing for the National Health Insurance (NHI).

“Given the lessons we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, we think it is a priority that it must be signed during this period so that the full implementation can be taken in the seventh administration. This is why we are looking at the progress of its implementation,” the Minister said.

Work that has been done to deal with load shedding will also be discussed.

“Due to the challenges in the freight and logistics, we are going to look at that in line with the work that we have done with the ERRP. We will also look at crime because we can’t rebuild the economy if we are not dealing with the crime,” the Minister said.

She said the meeting would assess the impact of crime in terms of the vandalism of critical infrastructure whether it be electricity or the freight and logistics sector and any other infrastructure.

Ntshavheni was addressing members of the media on the sidelines of the Cabinet Lekgotla, which has been convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa from 1-2 February 2024.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Premiers, Directors-General and the leadership of the South African Local Government Association are in attendance.

The outcome of the meeting will chart a way forward for the year to be announced by the President during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) taking place on Thursday, 8 February 2024, at 7pm.

“We will also discuss the safety of South Africans and critical to that is gender- based violence and femicide (GBVF). We will look at the progress we are making to address GBVF and whether we are succeeding with the whole of society approach.

“We are also looking at the progress that has been made in dealing with corruption in terms of putting together the Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) and the work that is being done to support the establishment of the council.

“We are looking at the integrated work that is be done to address with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Fusion Centre,” the Minister said.