Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader John Steenhuisen.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
In a rare moment of political alignment amid the Government of National Unity (GNU) tensions, DA leader John Steenhuisen expressed his approval of President Cyril Ramaphosa’ commitment to tackling economic growth and job creation
This is while calling for swift action to ensure the successes materialise before the next election cycle.
The DA leader, who is also the minister of Agriculture, has publicly criticised Ramaphosa for not consulting GNU partners over the signing of the Expropriation Bill into law recently.
Following Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night, Steenhuisen acknowledged the strides made in various sectors, particularly highlighting initiatives in digital technologies and the digitalisation of the Department of Home Affairs.
He remarked on the potential impact these developments will have on both early childhood development (ECD), Basic Education, and the broader economy.
“We recognise the good work that’s been done and we are particularly encouraged to hear about plans to turn the economy around,” he said.
However, while Steenhuisen welcomed Ramaphosa’s vision, he urged for a sense of urgency in the implementation of these initiatives.
“We’ve only got four years left as a Government of National Unity,” he cautioned, stressing the critical need for swift and action-oriented measures to realise the proposed economic reforms.
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