My fellow South Africans, as we enter the new year, we look back on 2024 as a year of change and progress.
We marked 30 years since becoming a free and democratic nation on the 27th of April 1994. We celebrated the progress made in building a society founded on the ideals of freedom, equality and human rights.
On the 29th of May 2024, we held our seventh democratic elections, peacefully and freely. As the people of South Africa voted for the representatives of their choice, they gave voice to their concerns, aspirations and expectations.
Our people, through their votes, called on political parties to put their differences aside and to work together to put our country first. As elected public representatives and acting on the outcomes of the elections that gave no single party an outright majority to govern South Africa on its own, we heeded the clear message from our people.
We established a Government of National Unity, bringing together parties from across the political spectrum. This Government of National Unity, made up of 10 political parties, committed through the Statement of Intent it adopted to grow an inclusive economy and create jobs.
The GNU has committed itself to reduce poverty and lower the cost of living. The parties are all working to strengthen the capacity of the state to deliver services to our people. The outcomes of the May 2024 elections and establishment of the Government of National Unity have enabled South Africa to enter a new era that holds great promise.
Our economy is slowly but steadily improving. More South Africans are finding jobs. Inflation has been falling, making essential goods more affordable for households.
In 2024, South Africa achieved its first primary budget surplus in 15 years. Public sector investment has risen for another straight year.
There is increased investment in roads, rail, public housing, energy and water and sanitation infrastructure. Business confidence to enhance investments is on the rise.
International investor sentiment towards South Africa has improved, with more companies seeking to invest or expand their presence in our economy.
As this happens more jobs will be created, more livelihoods supported and more local businesses sustained. The far-reaching economic reforms we started in the sixth administration are showing results.
We are emerging from a debilitating energy crisis that caused immense hardship for households and businesses. The country has now gone for 280 days without load shedding.
We continue the work to get more power onto the grid, to drive massive new investment in electricity generation and to establish a competitive electricity market. Our logistics sector, which is critical to the functioning of our economy, has shown notable improvement following the corrective initiatives that we embarked upon in partnership with business, labour and Transnet.
Our ports have reduced long delays in handling imports and exports, and rail freight is flowing more efficiently. This will encourage greater investment and make them more efficient.
Through the partnership between government and business – and through the ongoing cooperation with social partners, including labour – we are making real progress in removing the obstacles to faster growth and job creation. This has been a year in which we have intensified the fight against crime.
Through the focused execution of Operation Shanela, Operation Vala Umgodi as well as operations against the construction mafia, our law enforcement agencies are decisively dealing with organised crime, illegal mining, extortion at construction sites and other priority crimes. As a society, we have continued to focus our attention on the fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
We have strengthened the capabilities of the criminal justice system and improved support for survivors. However, our primary focus must remain on the prevention of gender-based violence against the young girls and women of our country.
Working with civil society and other partners across our society, we continue to call upon men and boys to stand at the forefront of changing attitudes and behaviour. We continue to intensify the fight against corruption and state capture.
The Investigating Directorate, which has now been established as a permanent entity in the National Prosecuting Agency, currently has a number of corruption cases in court and has charged several accused individuals.
In this 30th year of our democracy, we have taken further steps to advance our constitutional mandate of upholding equality, human rights and social justice. We signed into law transformative legislation like the National Health Insurance Actand the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
The implementation of these laws will provide greater access for all South Africans to decent health care and quality education. Just as we attained our freedom through the support and solidarity of many people and nations around the world, we continue to stand in solidarity with the victims of injustice in other parts of the world.
We have stood firm in our support for the struggle of the people of Palestine. As the conflict in the Middle East continues, as genocide is perpetrated against the people of Gaza and as Israeli hostages remain in captivity, we continue to call for the cessation of hostilities and the release of hostages.
South Africa’s sports men and women have done our country proud in the sporting field as they have flown the South African flag high in various parts of the world. We are grateful to the athletes who brought us glory at this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
We are proud of our nation’s artists who hoisted our flag high on the global stage. We congratulate the nation’s pioneering artists, filmmakers, writers and cultural workers who have excelled in their respective fields, achieving awards both at home and abroad.
This has been a year of triumphs and great progress. But it has also been marked by tragedy. The deaths of innocent young children in Soweto and other parts of the country who lost their lives earlier this year from eating contaminated foodstuffs pain us as a nation.
We reiterate our condolences to the families of the children who passed on. We remember the many lives that are senselessly lost to violence every day.
We are deeply saddened by the negligent and unnecessary recent deaths of young men at initiation schools in the Eastern Cape. Our thoughts are with the families that have been left destitute in the Western Cape after devastating shack fires destroyed their homes and belongings.
As individuals and as communities, we must lend our every effort to helping those affected by these terrible events. We will work with our law enforcement authorities to ensure that our children are safe.
We will continue to make our streets and neighbourhoods safe. As another year draws to a close, we pay tribute to all those who continue to serve our country.
We thank our nation’s educators who support, nurture and guide our learners in the quest for better quality education. We thank our men and women in uniform for keeping us safe at great sacrifice to their lives.
We thank our doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health workers and all frontline personnel who respond to people in their need. We thank the nation’s dedicated public servants and all South Africans who continue to perform their duties with excellence and integrity.
Fellow South Africans, as much as we have made progress, we have to do much more to overcome the challenges that confront our nation.
We need to work with urgency and purpose to grow an inclusive economy and create jobs. We need to support our municipalities to ensure that all our people receive quality services without exception and without disruption.
In particular, we need to continue to work together to address the severe water supply challenges that have affected various parts of the country. As a people, our unity, determination and resilience has seen us through hard times.
Just as this has been a year of great change, we look to the next year with great hope. We will be embarking on a National Dialogue, bringing all South Africans together to develop a common vision for the country.
In 2025, we will be hosting the first G20 Summit on African soil. Through our leadership of the G20 we will work for solidarity, equality and sustainable development that will have an impact on many peoples around the world.
As we embark on a new year, I call on each and every South Africa to be part of the journey towards a better future for all. I wish you all a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
May God bless South Africa and protect her people. I thank you.
