In our meeting last week, we engaged in a fruitful discussion with the president and a senior government delegation to share updates and outline our objectives for the 2025 government/business partnership, coordinated by Business for South Africa.
Phase 2 of this collaboration aims for a 3% economic growth by the year’s end—a bold target that both the private sector and government are committed to achieving.
Achieving this growth is vital, as it not only creates jobs but also cultivates a positive cycle that encourages further economic development.
However, we need to act promptly to meet this goal. While we’ve successfully eliminated load shedding, it’s crucial to increase our electricity capacity by upgrading the grid and adding 4,000 MW this year.
Moreover, we aim to recover our rail capacity, allowing for the transportation of 193 million tons via rail, up from 152 million tons last year. It’s also pivotal to ensure we are removed from the FATF grey list.
Our target is to unlock R100 billion in investments this year.
We must continue our efforts to rejuvenate the criminal justice system, particularly focusing on the investigation and prosecution of complex white-collar crimes.
The partnership has already achieved considerable milestones, particularly in terms of energy security.
Ongoing commitment is required to maintain reforms and ensure we achieve the growth necessary for our economy.
The President’s message was clear: he desires a ramp-up in our efforts.
As the President highlighted last week, these initiatives must result in job creation, particularly focused on our youth.
Our partnership initiatives should assess the employment impact of various options to maximize every job creation opportunity.
This is the ultimate goal of the reforms intended to spur growth.
With growth comes expansion, as businesses invest to capitalize on new opportunities.
Investment drives increased economic capacity, leading to large-scale job creation.
This partnership serves as a global exemplar of how emerging economies can tackle their challenges.
What has been achieved collaboratively by business and government is, in many instances, unprecedented.
We can celebrate the milestones of our partnership and the partnership itself, which reinforces the business case for SA Inc.
We are establishing what could be a model for the global economy—showcasing how public and private entities can collaborate effectively toward common objectives.
This week, we will present our case for SA Inc at the World Economic Forum in Davos, highlighting our role in hosting the G20 and B20 this year.
Recently, government and business came together to align our agenda for Davos, ensuring we deliver a cohesive message.
There was strong alignment between our teams and a clear understanding of our shared goals.
This year, we can emphasize our significant achievements like the end of load shedding and the government’s strides in reversing state capture, exemplified by the restoration of SARS as a premier institution and the success of last year’s elections.
I believe this WEF marks a pivotal moment as business and government present a united front as Team SA.
The partnership between business and government will be prominently featured.
Team SA has an extensive program that covers our advances, from climate change and our energy transition to enjoying South African beer and wine.
Our B20 South Africa presidency will be inaugurated with a luncheon that brings together global leaders, featuring BUSA president Mxolisi Mgojo and BLSA chairman Nonkululeko Nyembezi.
Much of our activities will focus on the official program, allowing us to engage directly with business and political leaders worldwide to advocate for South Africa.
As I noted previously, this year is our opportunity to convey to the world that South Africa is back in business and worthy of investment.
Last week’s discussions were positive, as our interactions with the president and our preparations for Davos indicate that our leaders are eager to showcase South Africa as a nation making significant strides.
This year has the potential to be a transformative one for us as a nation, reminiscent of 2010, a period of growth before the financial crisis, and the early post-democracy era of substantial institutional reforms for economic growth.
We are in a phase of reconstruction, building momentum, and pushing forward reforms, all while making a persuasive case for SA Inc.
This week promises to be exciting, and the coming year is brimming with opportunities for meaningful change for our country and its citizens.
*This column was first published in the Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) weekly newsletter. The author Busisiwe “Busi” Mavuso, is the CEO of BLSA.
*The views Busi Mavuso expresses in this column are not necessarily those of The Bulrushes.
