Year: 2018

Africa: Ghana’s Economy Will Top Africa in 2018

Ghana is tipped to lead Africa as the fastest growing economy in 2018 with a growth rate of eight per cent as a result of increased oil and gas production, which boosts exports and domestic electricity production.

In its latest report dubbed: “Global Economic Prospects: Sub-Saharan Africa,” the World Bank has forecasted that growth in Sub-Saharan Africa will pick up at 3.2 percent in 2018, and Ghana will lead the economies in Africa with eight per cent followed by Ethiopia and Tanzania, which is expected to grow at 7.2%

Ghana’s economic growth, which had slowed from 4.0% in 2014 to 3.7% in 2015, recover to 5.8% in 2016 and 8.7% in 2017, following consolidation of macroeconomic stability and implementation of measures to resolve the crippling power crisis.

However the forecasted recovery in economic growth in 2018 will depends on fiscal consolidation measures remaining on track, quick resolution of the power crisis, two new oil wells coming on-stream, and improved cocoa harvest and gold production.

“Growth in non-resource intensive countries is anticipated to remain solid, supported by infrastructure investment, resilient services sectors, and the recovery of agricultural production,” the report stated.

On the Sub-Sahara outlook, the bank said growth in the area was forecast to pick up to 3.2 per cent in 2018. It also predicated a moderate rise in commodity prices.

Per capita output, which was projected to shrink by 0.1 per cent in 2017, is also expected to increase to a modest 0.7 per cent growth pace over 2018-19.

“At those rates,” World Bank said “growth will be insufficient to achieve poverty reduction goals in the region, particularly if constraints to more vigorous growth persist”.

Growth in South Africa, the second biggest economy in Africa, which is projected to rise to 0.6 per cent in 2017, is expected to accelerate to 1.1 per cent in 2018. Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria, which is forecasted to go from recession to a 1.2 per cent growth rate in 2017, will gain speed to 2.4 per cent in 2018, helped by a rebound in oil production.

Growth is forecast to jump to 6.1 per cent in Ghana in 2017 and 7.8 per cent in 2018 as increased oil and gas production boosts exports and domestic electricity production. However the bank noted that militants’ attacks on oil pipelines could hold the key.

“If militants’ attacks on oil pipelines in the country decreases further the Nigeria economic will grow further”

Source: allafrica.com

Nigeria: Crude Oil Price Hits U.S.$70 Per Barrel

The price of brent crude oil rose to $70 per barrel yesterday, supported by ongoing output cuts led by OPEC and Russia, and ignoring a rise in United States and Canadian drilling activity that points to higher future output in North America.

Brent sweet crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $70 per barrel at 0558 GMT, up 13 cents from their last close, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at 64.53 dollars a barrel, up 23 cents.

Both benchmarks last week reached levels not seen since December 2014, with Brent touching 70.05 dollars a barrel and WTI reaching as high as 64.77 dollars.

ANZ bank said on Monay that oil prices had recently risen on data that continued to show that the market was tightening.

Oil markets had been well supported by production cuts led by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia, which were aimed at propping up crude prices.

The cuts started in January last year and were set to last through 2018, and coincided with healthy demand growth, pushing up crude prices by more than 13 per cent since early December.

But other factors, including political risk, also contributed.

“Tighter fundamentals are (the) main driver to the rally in prices, but geopolitical risk and currency moves along with speculative money in tandem have exacerbated the move”, U.S. bank JPMorgan said in a note.

Attracted by tighter supplies and strong consumption, financial investors have raised their net long U.S. crude futures positions, which would profit from higher prices, to a new record, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.

 U.S. energy companies added 10 oilrigs in the week to January 12, taking the number to 752, energy service firm Baker Hughes said on Friday.

That was the biggest increase since June 2017. ANZ bank said the jump came “as shale producers quickly reacted to the strong rise in prices in 2018”.

The picture was similar in Canada where energy firms almost doubled the number of rigs drilling for oil last week to 185, the highest level in 10 months.

The high prices for crude, which is the most important feedstock in the petroleum industry, have also crimped profit margins for oil refiners, resulting in a decline in new crude orders.

Experts said the battle between OPEC and shale oil producers can be characterized as a two-round fight.

According to a source, “In the first round, shale producers gained market share and the price of crude crashed. In the second, OPEC curbed output as shale producers adapted to the lower prices.

“The approach of OPEC and its allies for the coming year is clear. Brent crude has just risen above $70 per barrel, apparently confirming the success of OPEC’s plan. Production cuts have been extended until the end of 2018, and excess inventories are being drawn down. But as usual, demand in the first half of the year looks to be relatively weak, meaning any reduction in inventories will have to come in the second half.

“The reality, especially if prices exceed the $70 mark, is that the fundamental supply-demand balance does not support OPEC’s optimism. Even if it did, transitioning away from supply cuts is not going to be smooth, with growth in demand likely to weaken throughout 2018. Some Russian companies seem to be itching to part ways with OPEC even though Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said he doesn’t see “balance” being achieved until the third or fourth quarters of next year, adding that the deal to curb supplies could be extended again, to beyond the end of 2018″.

I tried this ancient herb to improve my sex-life and it actually worked, it is an upgrade for me and madam’s happiness.

Source: By Chika Izuora With Agency Report, allafrica.com

Tanzania and Rwanda Agree On Railway Project

TANZANIA and Rwanda have agreed to construct a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network connecting Isaka in Shinyanga to Kigali, with the key goal of linking the landlocked country to the port of Dar es Salaam.

President John Magufuli revelled the agreement in the city yesterday after his talks with the visiting Rwanda President Paul Kagame at the State House in Dar es Salaam.

President Kagame was in the country for a one-day state visit. The 400-kilometre track is meant to boost trade between Tanzania and Rwanda as part of the central railway network that runs from the port of Dar es Salaam.

“I do direct the ministers responsible for infrastructure from Tanzania and Rwanda to meet in two weeks’ time to deliberate on the costs of implementing the project,” Dr Magufuli remarked.

He further revealed that the design and feasibility study for the mega project had been finalised; stating that the railway network will haul cargo to Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

DR Magufuli assured his Rwandan counterpart that once all procedures are finalised, they will lay a foundation stone for the railway network from Isaka to Kigali in Rwanda.

At present, Tanzania has initiated construction of the railway network on standard gauge measuring over 700 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Makutopora in Dodoma.

The project is expected to cost over 7tri/- upon completion. Dr Magufuli was however unhappy that trade between Dar es Salaam and Kigali is decreasing, citing statistics from last year which showed that shipment destined to Rwanda from the port of Dar es Salaam was just 950,000 tonnes as of last year.

The Head of State revealed further that trade balance between the two countries had been fluctuating since 2011. During the financial year 2011, trade balance between Tanzania and Rwanda stood at 106.54bn/- but the amount decreased to 27.34bn/- in 2012. It grew to 132.21bn/- in 2013 and again plummeted to 64.45bn/- in 2014.

Speaking at the occasion, President Kagame assured Dr Magufuli that his country was committed to conduct business with Tanzania for the wellbeing of people from the two countries and East African region as a whole.

Source: Alvar Mwakyusa, allafrica.com

Airbnb looks to scale up in Africa Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Airbnb – the online broker that connects tourists with property owners – has experienced quite startling growth in Africa.

Active accommodation listings on the continent increased from 62,000 to 100,000 in the year to 1 September 2017. The figure in 2013 was just 6,000.

This development has seen annual guest numbers in Africa increase by over 5,000% since 2012, to hit 1.2m last year, the fifth consecutive year of strong growth. According to Airbnb, African hosts earned $139m from the service in the past 12 months.

Africa still accounts for a fraction of Airbnb’s business. Until last year, the continent had fewer listings than the city of Paris. Nevertheless, recent growth is hard to ignore and shows no signs of abating.

As the company steps up its interest in the continent, lessons learned elsewhere could trigger a race to regulate the service before it’s too late. South Africa accounts for a large portion of Airbnb listings. A trailblazer since 2010, the country welcomed 651,000 guests over the past year, experiencing growth of 143%.

Currently there are over 43,000 active listings in South Africa, with typical hosts earning $1,900 annually from the service. Naturally Cape Town, with its mountains and beaches, is the most popular destination.

Success in South Africa has been so profound that Airbnb management companies have proliferated to help residents monetise their properties and spare rooms. “We started two and a half years ago in early 2015 with our own properties,” says Greg Schneider, managing director of Superhost South Africa, one such company. “It exploded off the back of that.” Most of Superhost’s clients have year-round listings, and rely on Schneider’s company to handle bookings, cleaning, key exchange and emergencies.

Morocco and Kenya are the second and third largest African hubs respectively, though while Morocco has 21,000 active listings, Kenya has just 5,900. Despite growth of 325% over the last year, Nigeria has just 730 listings. Meanwhile its capital, Lagos, is a city of 21m people. Nascent markets exist in Rwanda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and elsewhere.

Long-term vision

Yet Airbnb’s activities on the continent extend beyond its standard hosting service; like Microsoft, IBM and Uber, the company is approaching Africa as a long-term investment opportunity. In October, it signed a collaboration agreement with Cape Town to advance its brand of people-to-people tourism among the city’s residents. In return, Airbnb will help promote Cape Town to tourists across the globe.

Next May, Airbnb will work with partners to organise the Africa Travel Summit in Cape Town, focusing on sustainable growth in tourism. The event will involve training for individuals, organisations and NGOs to bring Airbnb to their communities.

And in October, the company promised to invest $1m in community-driven tourism projects across Africa, including training South African township residents in hospitality. “In November 2016, Airbnb launched its ‘experiences’ service,” says Fergal McGivney, travel and technology analyst at Mintel, a market research firm. “This allows guests to try out a range of experiences put together by in-the-know locals.”

This is expected to increase the number of people across the continent who can accrue income from Airbnb. “Previously you needed a property to list, but experiences are a really interesting play by them,” says Schneider. “It’s an incredible way to bring revenue to different areas.”

This strikes at the heart of Airbnb’s success on the continent: allowing people to create new economic opportunities for themselves by monetising a spare room or a local experience, in places where such opportunities are often limited. Though established hotels and operators capture the lion’s share of the tourism business, Airbnb can open up market opportunities for outsiders, requiring minimal startup capital.

Hosts in Kenya and Tanzania earned $3.9m and $2.1m respectively in the year to September 2017. In Morocco, the average host earned $1,300 last year. Meanwhile female hosts outnumber their male counterparts across the continent.

“Africa is in need of as much foreign investment as possible,” says Schneider. “Airbnb allows you to do local tourism. It puts foreign dollars in the pockets of lower and middle class Africans.” This local tourism is particularly appealing to younger, more adventurous travellers seeking to avoid the conformity of traditional tourism packages. According to Airbnb, the average age of guests on the continent is 37.

In addition, not every destination has an established hotel that appeals to international travellers. “Airbnb becomes a branded alternative in markets without a major hotel presence,” says Trevor Ward, managing director of the Hospitality Group in Lagos.

Calls for regulation

Nevertheless, various issues that have arisen in most of the cities in which Airbnb operates have not eluded the African continent. Many hotels have expressed irritation at the lack of regulation applied to Airbnb, and the ways in which it can manipulate the accommodation market in times of high demand.

“Airbnb comes in at the compression nights when hotels would ordinarily take advantage of moments of high demand,” says Ward. This limits the ability of hotels to fetch a premium on their rooms when there’s a large event in town. The same is true for Christmas and New Year in Cape Town. “A lot of occasional hosts move in with family to capitalise on the increased demand,” says Schneider.

As Airbnb shakes up the tourism business, hotels in Cape Town and elsewhere are forced to break new ground. New accommodation is popping up offering self-catering and studio apartments, according to Schneider, to try to replicate the Airbnb experience.

Other sticking points in Africa are a lack of confidence in destinations and hosts, and safety concerns given the platform’s regulatory grey areas. “There are Airbnb listings in Lagos, but the average traveller is not going to use it and that boils down to trust,” says Ward.

Affect on property prices

A key complaint levelled at the company is that it prices out locals. “The theory is that if investors are buying properties in cities to rent out to tourists, this takes living space off the market for local renters,” says McGivney. Experts feel Airbnb has contributed to the explosion of property prices in Cape Town, and there has been much talk of regulation.

Current local law in Namibia forces lodging providers with two or more bedrooms to register with the local tourism board. While people can rent out a spare room in Cape Town, a block of flats cannot legally house tourists. In some cities, it is possible that an Airbnb listing could be classed as a hotel, spelling vast quantities of paperwork.

The race to regulate Airbnb in Africa has not begun in earnest. But given the impressive growth – and recent legislation in major cities like New York and Berlin – it may start soon. “If it did get on the regulatory radar, many countries would over-regulate,” predicts Ward. “We are very good at that in Africa.”

Of course, Superhost South Africa is upbeat about the prospect. “If regulation comes into place, that may create a barrier to entry for occasional hosts,” says Schneider. “They may look to professional managers who can navigate that space.”

Charlie Mitchell

Source: African Business Magazine

Stories have the power to connect us

I’ll never forget the speech that Bunmi Oni, then managing director of Cadbury Schweppes, gave at Harvard Business School in February 2004.

He had me utterly transfixed, mesmerised with the vivid picture he created of an Africa different from the one I’d grown up in. Democracy had replaced military rule. The combination of stable economies and increased interest from foreign direct investors had created an Africa rich with opportunities.

I immediately quit my plum role with a US beverages conglomerate and returned home to Ghana. With a single speech, he’d made me see that the new African dream was more exciting than the American dream. And he set me on my own adventure navigating Africa and its opportunities.

His speech told a story. Neuroscientists now understand that there’s a reason why stories have this magical effect on people.

Researchers have found that when we listen to stories, powerful hormones are released in our bloodstream, making us far more malleable and open to ideas. They make us empathetic, growing a connection between the speaker and the person on the receiving end. These emotional connections are vital in business where, as we know, investors bet on the jockey and not the horse.

You don’t need to be into neuroscience to understand the power of story. The magical effect is visible whenever you see someone listening to a story – be it over coffee during a conference, at a dinner party, in a meeting, or in a big speech.

People stop looking at their phones. Their eyes light up and they become alert. It’s like they open their minds for you to pour in whatever you like. I now tell stories all the time. Whether I’m in meetings, chatting on the phone, or giving speeches.

Tell your story

Corporate life can be boring and we can get caught up in realms of data, analysis, spreadsheets, etc. But what binds everyone in corporate life together – whether they are customers, suppliers, shareholders and potential investors – is our shared humanity.

And nothing brings that out more than our own stories. Stories from our lives, our work, our families. Stories that provide insight into our souls and feed the souls of other people.

This is particularly true here in Africa where we have such a rich tradition in storytelling and so many great stories to tell: stories that explain our motivations and values, our dreams and desires. Don’t keep them to yourself. Share them. People will be grateful to you. And in return they will give you all the support you are asking for.

Lawyer, entrepreneur, art champion and writer Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia spoke at the Young Entrepreneurs Day workshop, The Art of Storytelling, during the Africa 2017 Forum.

Source: African Business Magazine

Nigeria: 9Mobile Sale – Jan 16 Is Deadline for Bidders to Submit Final Bids, NCC Clarifies

The telecoms industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), thursday gave further clarification on the true position of 9mobile sale by Barclays Africa, in relation to the January 16 date earlier announced.

Contrary to expectations that all the shortlisted five investors that are currently bidding to acquire 9mobile would know their fate on January 16 when Barclays Africa would announce the winner, NCC said January 16 date is the deadline for the submission of final bids by the five contenders and not the date to announce the winner.

NCC also made it clear that none of the bidders has been favoured to win the 9mobile acquisition as speculated by some online publications.

In a statement issued by NCC thursday and signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, it said: “Our attention has been drawn to newspaper publications alleging that a preferred bidder has been anointed to acquire 9mobile and otherwise speculating on the outcome of the ownership transfer process. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to clarify that Barclays Africa remains in full control of the process leading to the emergence of a new owner for the company. Barclays has not authorised any publication on the matter and is obliged to maintain full confidentiality thereon.”

The statement further said that an approval for the request for extension of time by the 9mobile interim board was given by the two regulators – NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This sets the deadline for the receipt of binding offers from the prospective bidders till January 16, 2018.

Contrary to speculations that a “winner” will be announced on the same day (January 16, 2018), we wish to clarify that Barclays is expected to review the bids received by the deadline and to make recommendations to the 9mobile interim board thereafter.

The NCC and CBN will be duly notified once the 9mobile interim board accepts Barclays’ recommendations and a winning bid is determined in accordance with the terms of the exercise.

The winner will now apply to NCC in order to commence the processes for securing the regulatory approvals from the board of the NCC necessary to give full effect to the transfer.

Giving further insight, NCC said the winner would only be announced after Barclays Africa has submitted its report and recommendation to the interim board of 9mobile, subject to acceptance of the recommendation of Barclays Africa, by the interim board.

Barclays Africa is expected to submit its recommendation to the board after it must have reviewed the final bid submission, whose deadline is January 16.

It will definitely take the board members some more time to meet and either give their consent or disapprove the recommendation of Barclays Africa, an indication that the winner might not likely be announced before the end of January this year.

THISDAY investigation showed that the interim board members of 9mobile include the representative of CBN as the chairman of the board, three representatives from the lending banks, and three members from 9mobile shareholders. NCC, it was gathered, is not part of the board members because of its regulatory functions, and will not be part of those that will determine the winner.

 A source close to NCC, however told THISDAY that NCC’s interest in intervening in the 9mobile indebtedness issue to the 13 local banks was purely in the interest of the telecoms sector to save the over 2,000 employees of 9mobile from losing their jobs, to protect the over 20 million subscribers of 9mobile, to protect telecoms investment and to assist the 13 banks recover the $1.2 million loan given to 9mobile in 2013, which it was unable to repay, citing economic downturn of 2015-2016 and naira devaluation, which negatively impacted on the dollar-denominated component of the loan.
 Source:allafrica

South Africa: Ramaphosa Extends an Open Invitation to Investors

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has promised to resuscitate the country’s ailing economy while implementing the ruling party’s policies on free education and radical economic transformation.

In his maiden January 8 statement at East London’s Absa stadium on Saturday, Ramaphosa attempted to reassure investors by painting a picture perfect South Africa under his rule.

He said the party required a programme of fundamental and radical change.

“We are going to restore our focus on building an economy in which all South Africans can flourish. An economy which benefits the people of our country as a whole rather than just to benefit a few privileged individuals and families in our country.”

He added that the party wanted an open and diverse economy that will provide opportunities for all, especially young people and women.

This economy he said, would welcome investment.

“We must not have an economy that discourages and chases away investors from investing in South Africa.”

He invited all investors from all over the world to come to South Africa to invest so that the country’s economy could grow “so that we can create jobs, so that we can end poverty, so that we can reduce inequality,” he added.

Realising historic objective

South Africa’s status has suffered one downgrade after another by ratings agencies.

The country has also been under great strain with expected growth for the year at less than 2% due to recent political uncertainty in the ANC.

President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffles have also fuelled the fire putting investor confidence in the country at an all-time low since the party took over in 1994.

Ramaphosa who now takes over from Zuma as party president will have to clean up the economy. He was the preferred candidate of business with markets responding positively to him during his campaign and victory in December at the ANC elective conference against former African Union commission chair Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

However, Ramaphosa’s business acumen will be challenged during his term as president of the ruling party.

He is tasked with implementing Zuma’s fee-free education proclamation, radical economic transformation as well as land redistribution without compensation.

Attempting to ease investor confidence, Ramaphosa said land will be redistributed while meeting the constitutional requirement of redress.

He added that the party would ensure that fee-free higher education for those families earning less than R350 000 would be implemented in a gradual process.

“As we accumulate more and more money, as we mobilise resources. We are going to realise this historic objective.”

Source: News24, allafrica.com

South Africa: Ramaphosa Outlines Plans for Radical Change – With Assurances

 The African National Congress’s new leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, sketched out a path for the party’s future on Saturday which carefully balanced demands for radical change to address South Africa’s deeply-rooted inequalities with assurances to investors, business people, farmers and minorities feeling threatened by the change.

Key takeaways from the annual statement of the ANC’s national executive committee, traditionally delivered on the anniversary of the movement’s founding in 1912:

• On the state of the party: Ramaphosa said the ANC has become “deeply divided through factionalism, patronage, corruption and competition for resources” and will undertake “a deliberate programme of organisational renewal that decisively addresses problems of division and dysfunction…”

• On mismanagement and the influence that President Jacob Zuma’s friends, the Gupta family, and others have on government agencies and state-owned enterprises (SoEs) with big budgets for capital spending on infrastructure and services:“Several key SOEs are in financial distress, threatening not only their own operations, but the national fiscus. Many of these enterprises have experienced serious governance lapses and poor delivery of their mandate. These challenges have been exacerbated by state capture, through which billions of rands have been illegally diverted to individuals.”

• On the economic response to “state capture”: “Building on the work already underway in government to reform SOEs, we will act urgently and decisively to improve governance, financial management and performance in all SOEs and protect them from improper interference.” The party’s vision is “an economy that encourages and welcomes investment, offers policy certainty and addresses barriers that inhibit growth and social inclusion.” In addition, “We need cadres who are committed to serve no other interest than the interests of the people, who seek no advantage for themselves or their families from the positions they occupy, and who safeguard public resources.”

• On the criminal justice system, which has been undermined by the failure of partisan police, prosecutors, tax authorities and other government agencies to act against suspects deemed to be close to political leaders: “Anti-corruption efforts within the state must be more effectively coordinated and all forms of corruption must be exposed and prosecuted. This includes corruption, collusion and other criminal activity in the private sector, which must be fought with equal diligence and determination… [T]he country’s intelligence services, the police and prosecutorial authorities should be strengthened and fortified to act with professionalism, and without fear, favour or prejudice.”

• On President Zuma’s unplanned and unilateral announcement last month of free tertiary education for large numbers of students, beginning this month: The government will keep Zuma’s promise, but it will be implemented “in a phased approach to ensure sustainability of government finances and radically expanded access to education.”

• On the party’s decision last month to expropriate land without compensation, raising fears of Zimbabwe-style land reform which might collapse the agricultural economy: “We shall implement a comprehensive approach to land reform and agricultural development that utilises a range of mechanisms to accelerate the redistribution of land to black South Africans and to provide the necessary support to ensure that this is accompanied by an increase in agricultural production and food security.” Expropriation of land without compensation will be “part of the mechanisms available to government” but will be implemented “in a manner that not only meets the constitutional requirement of redress, but also promotes economic development, agricultural production and food security.”

• On foreign policy: Ramaphosa restated the ANC’s backing for “self-determination and independence” for the Western Sahara. This follows overtures made recently by Morocco to President Zuma. “The ANC condemns the withdrawal of Morocco from the UN-led peace process and calls on the UN to bring all parties back to the negotiating table,” Ramaphosa added. He also said the ANC would continue to support the peace process in Sudan and South Sudan, and firmly believed that a downgrade of the South African embassy in Israel to a “liaison office” would send a strong signal to the people of Palestine.

The full text of the statement follows:

Statement of the National Executive Committee on the occasion of the 106th anniversary of the African National Congress

Fellow South Africans,

The African National Congress turns 106 years this year.

We are in the Eastern Cape, the home of legends. As the newly elected leadership of the ANC, we visited and laid wreaths at the graves of the first ANC President, John Langalibalele Dube and former Presidents Chief Albert Luthuli, Josiah Gumede, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela. We shook their bones and sought their blessing as we take the ANC into an era of unity and service to the people. We take this opportunity to reaffirm the ANC’s commitment to the values and principles to which so many of our legends dedicated their lives. January 8th Statement 2018 .

The African National Congress was formed to heal the wounds that had been inflicted on our people by colonial conquest. Our organisation belongs to the people of South Africa and it is our duty to safeguard and nurture it. The core ideal that is the reason for the ANC’s existence – the creation of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, prosperous and equitable society – is yet to be fully realised. As its newly elected leadership, we commit to our membership that we shall remain faithful and diligent custodians of this glorious vision.

This year, we mark the anniversaries of several milestones in the history of our struggle for democracy:

  • It is 210 years since the 1808 rebellion of slaves in the Cape seeking a free state and freedom for all slaves. The rebellion, which was quashed by the colonial authorities, was one of the earliest instances of organised multi-racial resistance to tyranny and injustice in South Africa.
  • It is 105 years since the 1913 Land Act and 95 years since the Native Urban Areas Act, two pieces of legislation that were central to the deprivation of black South Africans of their land, assets and livelihoods. The effects of these laws continue to be felt today.
  • It is 100 years since the formation of the Bantu Women’s League, a forerunner of the ANC Women’s League and the first organisation in the country to take up the struggle of South African women.
  • It is 75 years since the adoption of the Africans’ Claims in South Africa document, which set out the demands of black South Africans for equal rights and self-determination. This seminal document January 8th Statement 2018 2 was a precursor to the Freedom Charter, the ANC’s Constitutional Guidelines and the country’s democratic Constitution.
  • It is 65 years since the Bantu Education Act was introduced, effectively depriving generations of black South Africans of quality education and skills and consigning them to grinding poverty. n It is 55 years since the start of the Rivonia Trial, during which Nelson Mandela and other leaders of Umkhonto we Sizwe were sentenced to life imprisonment for having the courage to take up arms against the apartheid state. We use this opportunity, today, to pay tribute to the two surviving Rivonia trialists, Isithwalande Andrew Mlangeni and Dennis Goldberg.
  • It is also 55 years since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity, which was formed to help bring about independence from colonialism and promote the unity and solidarity of the African continent.
  • It is 45 years since the Durban strikes, which signalled the start of a new era in the struggle of the black working class and in the broader struggle against apartheid.
  • This year, we mark the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Chris Hani, whose murder at the hands of right-wingers on the eve of our democratic breakthrough remains a source of pain and anguish to our nation. We also mark the passing, two weeks later, of that giant of our struggle, former President Oliver Tambo.

The ANC has produced many great sons and daughters who lived lives of extraordinary activism in service to the people of South Africa.

This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest leaders this country, this continent and the world has known – Isithwalandwe Seaparankoe Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

We shall celebrate his centenary not only as the people of South Africa, but also as a continent and as the broader global community. We shall pay tribute to the contribution that he made, over the course of his 95 years, to the struggle for freedom and the cause of building humane social relations across the globe.

We shall draw lessons and inspiration from his life as we confront the challenges of the present. We shall use this historic occasion to unite, rebuild and renew the movement to which he dedicated his life and intensify our work to build the free and equitable society for which he fought.

As we do so, we shall reflect on the past year, in which we commemorated the life of his friend and comrade, former President Oliver Reginald Tambo, and the profound impact that that centenary had on every aspect of the political work of the ANC and the Alliance.

This year, as we celebrate the centenary of the birth of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, we shall intensify our efforts to realise his vision of a united South Africa in which all live in peace with equal rights and opportunities.

We shall renew our focus on comrade Mandela’s vision of a non-racial society in which the social and economic barriers that have separated black from white are torn down. We shall redouble our efforts to build a society in which black poverty and white privilege are consigned to the past, replaced by respect, solidarity and non-racial equality.

We shall place at the top of our agenda Madiba’s vision of a non-sexist society in which the oppression and exploitation of women – whether in the workplace, in communities or in the home – is eradicated. We will work to ensure we achieve comprehensive development of women in all spheres of life so as to ensure that there is equality between women and men.

We shall work to rekindle Madiba’s vision of a democratic society in which all citizens have equal opportunity to determine their own destiny. We shall achieve this not only through strengthening the instruments of representative and participatory democracy; but also by ensuring that people have economic opportunities and the ability to make choices about their own lives. We shall work to strengthen organs of civil society, including street committees and other community-based organisations, understanding that they provide the means through which people can participate fully in changing their lives for the better.

In 2018, as the African National Congress, we shall work to restore the confidence of the South African people in a shared vision for radical social and economic transformation. We shall confront, together, the lack of broad-based economic participation and the social marginalisation of millions of poor and landless people.

This we shall do, proceeding from the understanding that, an equitable society is in the interest of all South Africans, whatever their race, gender or social status.

Drawing on the wisdom of Madiba, and led by his example, we shall focus all our efforts on improving the lives of all South Africans, especially the poor.

This year, we will also celebrate the centenary of the birth of Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu, a stalwart of our struggle who is remembered for her strength, compassion and tireless commitment to the people of this country. As a prominent leader of the ANC, ANC Women’s League, Federation of South African Women and the United Democratic Front, Ma Sisulu represented the epitome of selfless service to the people. We will use this year to remember her life and outstanding contribution to the cause of freedom and democracy.

RENEW THE ANC AS THE VANGUARD OF TRANSFORMATION

At the centre of all our efforts this year must be the fundamental renewal and revitalisation of the African National Congress.

The ANC’s 54th National Conference, which met in Johannesburg in December 2017, recognised that the movement has become deeply divided through factionalism, patronage, corruption and competition for resources. Structures of the movement have been weakened and the confidence of the people in the ANC has been eroded.

This, and the development of social distance between elected leaders and the electorate, has damaged the bond between the ANC and the masses of the people.

Conference decided that the ANC should embark with immediate effect, on a far-reaching programme of organisation-building and renewal aimed at making it a more effective instrument of social and economic change. This will also involve extensive engagement with formations with which we used to work in the mass democratic movement and with organised civil society. We will reach out to our people as a whole through the various structures in which they are organised, from sports bodies to chambers of commerce to community based organisations and faith based groups. We will reach out to the veterans of the movement to ensure that they play a meaningful role in rebuilding the ANC and restoring its values. In doing this, we will build unity of purpose, ensuring that the ANC is strengthened as a vanguard of the process of social transformation.

In electing the new national leadership of the organisation, delegates at the 54th National Conference gave the new leadership a clear and unequivocal mandate to unite the movement, the Alliance and the people of South Africa.

PROGRESS IN IMPROVING PEOPLE’S LIVES

We find ourselves at a critical time in the history of the country, in the life of the African National Congress and in the course of the National Democratic Revolution.

Together with our Alliance partners and with the support of broader society, we have, over the last 24 years, qualitatively advanced the National Democratic Revolution.

We have made significant progress in forging a unitary democratic state founded on a Constitution which guarantees equal rights for all.

We have done much to dismantle the political, social and economic features of colonial exploitation and apartheid oppression, establishing enduring democratic institutions that are able to champion the will of the people.

We have directed public resources towards tackling poverty, building houses for the poor, electrifying houses, providing water to millions of additional households, redistributing land, improving education and health, and providing more than 17.4 million social grants to almost 12 million South Africans.

In 1994, we inherited a dysfunctional economy that had been in decline for many years. As the incoming government, we were forced to make some difficult decisions to turn around an economy in decline, and this at precisely the moment that our people’s expectations were at their greatest.

For much of the first two decades of democracy, the ANC-led government managed to ensure sustained economic growth, macroeconomic stability and prudent management of public resources, while pursuing redistributive policies.

We sustained high levels of investment in education and skills development, ensuring that 77% of learners in public high schools enjoy free basic education. There are currently almost a million students enrolled in higher education, up from just over 500,000 in 1994. We have directed resources to meet the needs of the poor while improving their prospects for access to opportunities. Government provides free meals to nearly 12 million school children every day, that is more than 75% of learners in more than 20,000 public schools.

South Africa is also poised to make more significant contributions in the technology field, for instance, through our work on the Square Kilometre Array, which, when completed, will be the world’s largest radio telescope, significantly expanding our ability to study space and answer fundamental questions of science. We were awarded the bid to build 65% of the SKA in 2012; and through the Meerkat telescope which will be completed in March 2018 South Africa and the continent at large will host the largest and most sophisticated research infrastructure. This is a scientific first for Africa and South Africa.

The number of people in employment in our country rose from 8.9 million in 1994 to around 16 million today. Even in the aftermath of the global financial crisis which started some 10 years ago, we were able to invest over R1 trillion in infrastructure over the last 5 years. As a consequence of these efforts and through our broad-based black economic empowerment policies, we have seen the black middle strata grow from approximately 1.7 million to 6 million.

Despite the progress we have made, we know that the most difficult challenges still lie ahead. As we noted in the National Development Plan, South Africa remains a highly unequal society where too many people live in poverty and too few have access to economic opportunities.

That is why the ANC’s 53rd National Conference in Mangaung declared that we were now entering the second phase of our transition, with a methodical focus on socio-economic emancipation.

Yet, despite the attention we have given to socio-economic transformation, our economy has not performed well. Economic growth has remained low, unemployment has remained high, and some of the advances we made in reducing poverty are in danger of being reversed. Levels of investment have dropped, our budget is under pressure, business and consumer confidence is low, and we have recently suffered a number of credit rating downgrades.

In the main, this is the result of an economy whose structure is largely unchanged since the end of apartheid. Over the last few years, this has been exacerbated by the effects of the global financial crisis, lower demand for our commodities and domestic challenges such as infrastructure constraints, low skills levels and the erosion of our manufacturing capacity. Our economy has also been severely undermined by corruption and state capture, institutional instability, policy inconsistency, poor performance of state-owned enterprises and a sense of drift within the ANC.

Therefore, if we are to turn the economy around and get the National Democratic Revolution firmly back on track, we need to work with urgency and seriousness to address these challenges.

We are encouraged by recent signs of faster growth following the country’s emergence from a technical recession and the recent stabilisation of our currency, the rand. We have noted indications from a number of investors who are expressing renewed confidence in our country and are looking at new investments that would lead to job creation.

A PROGRAMME FOR ACCELERATED RADICAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

The ANC 54th National Conference, which was held in Johannesburg last month, addressed many of these issues and adopted policies to accelerate the fundamental transformation of our society.

While it is undeniable that the ANC has made significant strides in meeting the basic needs of the people, it is equally true that the legacy of colonialism and apartheid still remains deeply entrenched in our society. We therefore require a programme of fundamental and radical socio-economic transformation that will ensure that, in the words of President Mandela, political freedom goes side by side with ‘freedom from hunger, want and suffering.’

Guided by the National Development Plan, we aim to restore our focus on building an economy in which all South Africans can flourish, an economy which benefits the people as a whole, rather than a privileged few.

We seek an open, dynamic economy that embraces technological innovation, pursues higher productivity, creates jobs that pay better and improves the quality of life of our citizens. We recognise the challenges of modernisation and the imperatives of structural change in all sectors, especially in mining, manufacturing, agriculture and finance.

Our vision is an economy that encourages and welcomes investment, offers policy certainty and addresses barriers that inhibit growth and social inclusion. Our commitment is to build strong partnerships in which efficient and accountable government agencies, responsible citizens and businesses, effective trade unions and civil society work together for the common good.

Fundamentally, we are determined to build an economy that reverses apartheid injustices and corrects continuing patterns of deprivation and inequality.

It is for this reason that the resolutions adopted at our 54th National Conference focused on the measures we need to take now to significantly advance growth, development and transformation.

Critical to the success of these measures is strong collaboration among all social partners. While such collaboration has been essential to the success of many of the milestones of our young democracy, we must acknowledge that we have not sustained these partnerships in recent years.

Guided by the decisions of Conference, the ANC aims to forge a social pact between government, labour, business and communities urgently to reignite economic growth and accelerate the process of transformation. Each of the social partners needs to make specific commitments on the contribution they will make to promote far greater levels of investment and job creation.

While this social pact will be wide-ranging, it will need to focus in particular on youth unemployment, whose devastating impact on young people is cause for major concern. Despite the progress we have made in expanding access to education, millions of young people do not have the skills that the economy needs. Even those with skills lack the work experience and readiness that most employers look for. Conference therefore agreed to prioritise effective public employment programmes, internships, job placement, youth entrepreneurship and set-aside programmes.

Critical to the expansion of access to economic opportunities is the implementation of a free higher education for students from poor and working class backgrounds whose household income is less than R350,000.

This will be implemented by providing full bursaries for tuition and study materials to qualifying South African students at public TVET colleges and universities, and subsidised accommodation or transport capped at specific levels for those who qualify, starting with first time entry students in 2018. For returning existing university NSFAS funded students, in 2018 and going forward, their loans will be converted into full bursaries.

This historic decision, which vindicates many decades of struggle for free education for the poor, will be implemented in a phased approach to ensure sustainability of government finances and radically expanded access to education.

This is a critical contribution to ensuring that students from poor backgrounds are able to access the kind of skills required for meaningful participation in the economy. This is giving effect to our objective of a skills revolution, which requires that we sustain our significant investment in basic education. This will enable us to modernise our economy, improve the beneficiation of our natural resources and prepare our workforce for the fourth industrial revolution.

The concentration of ownership of our economy in the hands of a white minority constrains sustainable growth and transformation. We will work to change the ownership structure of our economy through, among other things, ensuring access to, and ownership of, financial institutions by black people, youth and women. This will include new approaches to regulation and licensing in the financial sector to foster diversified ownership and competition.

Development finance institutions and state banks should be directed to give greater emphasis to employment creation, empowerment, industrial diversification, and the development of small businesses and cooperatives.

The Reserve Bank plays a critical role in the life of any nation with regard to monetary policy and safeguarding and promoting the value of its currency.

The ANC once more reaffirms the role, mandate and independence of the Reserve Bank. As mandated by Conference, we call on government to develop proposals, in line with international practice, to ensure full public ownership of the Bank.

South Africa needs to pursue a multi-faceted growth strategy. Among the efforts to promote job creation on a far larger scale, we need to revitalise our manufacturing sector through a number of measures, including preferential procurement in both the public and private sectors to stimulate demand for local goods and to reduce domestic manufacturing costs. Learning from the experiences of other emerging markets, our industrialisation strategy should focus on sectors with the greatest potential for growth and where we can make most effective use of our resources including in tourism, agricultural and mineral resources.

In order to reduce concentration of ownership and control in the economy and to open the market to new, black-owned companies, we have agreed to expand the mandate of the competition authorities. These institutions will have the responsibility and the means to reduce monopoly control of our economy and increase competition. State procurement and the award of concessions are going to be used more effectively to promote broad-based black economic empowerment and encourage greater worker ownership and board representation.

Another critical element of broad-based black economic empowerment are the ongoing interventions that are aimed at promoting township and rural economies. Our rural areas and townships were designed as labour dormitories. It is pleasing that work is already underway in many parts of the country to develop such areas as economic centres.

Through targeted investment, improved infrastructure and the creation of a conducive regulatory environment, more townships and rural areas can become sites for manufacturing and the expansion of the services industry.

We are pleased that agreement has been reached on the national minimum wage, which will be implemented on 1 May 2018. While recognising that the starting minimum wage is not a living wage, it is nevertheless a significant mechanism to immediately improve the lives of as many as 6.6 million low paid workers and establish a platform for further measures to reduce income inequality.

We applaud all social partners for having reached this historic agreement. We salute, in particular, our ally COSATU, which has struggled relentlessly for the realisation of this demand of the Freedom Charter.

The National Conference underlined how profoundly the dispossession of the indigenous people of this country of their land has contributed to poverty, hardship, unemployment and social dislocation. While important progress has been made in improving security of tenure and undertaking land restitution and redistribution, the pace has been too slow and the impact limited. There has also not been a sufficient link between the return of land and the provision of support to beneficiaries.

The 54th Conference decided that the historic injustice of land dispossession, therefore, needs to be addressed with greater urgency. There was overwhelming support at the Conference that the ANC must pursue the expropriation of land without compensation.

We will do so in a manner that not only meets the constitutional requirement of redress, but also promotes economic development, agricultural production and food security.

At the same time, we will pursue the enormous potential of agriculture to promote industrialisation, create employment and transform our economy. By modernising agricultural production and developing a substantial pool of skills in this area, we would not only improve food security, but also develop agro-processing, the manufacture of agricultural inputs and increase exports. This would have a profound effect on the sustainability of rural communities.

We need also to act with urgency and purpose to restore state owned enterprises (SOEs) as drivers of economic growth and development. Several key SOEs are in financial distress, threatening not only their own operations, but the national fiscus. Many of these enterprises have experienced serious governance lapses and poor delivery of their mandate. These challenges have been exacerbated by state capture, through which billions of rands have been illegally diverted to individuals. Governance of these state owned enterprises has been severely weakened and confidence in the public sector generally has been undermined.

Building on the work already underway in government to reform SOEs, we will act urgently and decisively to improve governance, financial management and performance in all SOEs and protect them from improper interference.

Corruption in SOEs and other public institutions has undermined government’s programmes to address poverty and unemployment, weakened key institutions, discouraged investment and contributed to division within the ANC and the Alliance. The ANC therefore welcomes the announcement by President Jacob Zuma of the establishment of a commission of inquiry in line with the findings of the Public Protector’s report on state capture.

Anti-corruption efforts within the state must be more effectively coordinated and all forms of corruption must be exposed and prosecuted. This includes corruption, collusion and other criminal activity in the private sector, which must be fought with equal diligence and determination. Strong and efficient law-enforcement agencies are critical to the fight against corruption and crime generally, and to the restoration of the integrity and legitimacy of the state. In this regard, the ANC is of the firm view that the country’s intelligence services, the police and prosecutorial authorities should be strengthened and fortified to act with professionalism, and without fear, favour or prejudice. They should continue to be at the forefront of the fight against corruption and state capture, and work with communities to deal decisively with acts of criminality that threaten to tear communities apart. These include child abuse, genderbased violence, substance abuse, human trafficking and many contact crimes that have been on the rise.

Improving access to justice and accelerating the transformation of the judicial system remains a key priority for the ANC. Conference reaffirmed the imperative to continue enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of the legal services across all levels of government.

There was a further commitment to widen the allocation of the State’s legal work for broader participation by black people, in general, and women in particular.

We will intensify efforts to improve the health of our people, particularly in the context of the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic and the emergence of other diseases. As South Africans, we must never accept as permanent or irreversible our status as the country with the world’s biggest HIV epidemic. We need to take decisive steps to bring an end to the epidemic through systematically implementing the 90-90-90 strategy, which will entail, among other things, the addition of two million more people to our antiretroviral treatment programme.

We are alarmed by the dramatic growth of non-communicable or lifestyle diseases. We need to launch a sustained national campaign against cancer and intensify our efforts to reduce smoking, alcohol and sugar consumption.

The present outbreak of listeriosis, a disease that has been in South Africa for the past 40 years and has suddenly grown into an epidemic, is worrying. While the Department of Health and scientists are searching for the source, we call upon South Africans to heed the advice of the World Health Organization and the Department of Health, which have five key commandments for food safety. These are to keep clean and wash hands before and while preparing food; to separate raw and cooked food; to cook food properly; to keep food at safe temperatures; and to use safe water and raw materials.

The ANC 54th National Conference reaffirmed the ANC’s vision of a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society.

We must follow Madiba’s example and become activists for the cause of non-racialism. This becomes particularly important at this time in our history when there is a seeming resurgence of racism and narrow ethnic nationalism across many parts of the world. The ANC must remain a beacon of hope for progressive values.

The 54th National Conference resolved on a range of measures aimed at building social cohesion and a common national identity. In this regard, one of the most important tasks of ANC cadres is to be effective leaders of change and be integrally involved in community dialogues and community fora. Members must have dynamic links with inter-faith organisations, sports and cultural leaders, the private sector and traditional leaders to enhance moral regeneration, social cohesion and nation building.

More importantly, every ANC member must fight the demon of racialism, guard against narrow ethnic nationalism and other backward tendencies such as xenophobia. As a country, we must condemn all acts of racism and work together to end all racist practices.

South Africa has made tremendous strides in the emancipation of women, but much more must be done. We must confront the seeming resurgence of patriarchy and backward attitudes towards the role of women in society.

Members of the ANC must be at the forefront of all campaigns aimed at engendering equality between men and women at all levels. We call on ANC men in particular to be activists in the campaign to eradicate gender stereotypes that not only oppress women; but also have the effect of keeping men in psychological bondage. Part of this campaign should be the socialisation of children to respect one another and to shun gender stereotypes.

Gender-based violence and violence against other vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQI community is a scourge that needs to be eradicated.

The ANC also commits to practical measures aimed at the full realisation of women’s leadership potential.

In building a caring society that is cohesive and which protects the vulnerable, the 54th National Conference resolved that street, block and village committees, in which ANC members are active, are key vehicles of social cohesion and transformation. These committees must know exactly what is happening in each street in relation to violence against women and children, substance abuse, crime and be able to ensure that there are safe houses for victims, and that the police and social workers fulfil their functions. ANC branches must also be active in and strengthen the Community Policing Forums and Community Safety Forums. Members of the communities must know their neighbours and be concerned about their lives.

The above programmes must be backed up by practical measures such as making access to education easier for the girl-child by providing safe and reliable public transport for learners who live far from schools and providing free sanitary products to indigent learners and young women.

An important component of building a non-sexist society is to promote gender equality in sports at all levels and to enhance support for women’s sport.

Madiba was resolute that because we live in an interdependent world, we must learn from and take advantage of what is happening in other parts of the world. He was fully aware that South Africa depended a great deal on international solidarity and was adamant that the ANC and South Africa will always stand with the oppressed and marginalised across the world.

Our membership of BRICS is an important tool to enhance multilateralism and we must leverage our 2018 chairpersonship of BRICS for the advancement of South Africa’s national interests and the promotion of a more equitable world order.

The ANC has a long tradition of internationalism, based on the understanding that an injury to one is an injury to all. It has consistently lent its support to the peoples of the world living in situations of conflict, who have been displaced and who are subject to discrimination, oppression and exploitation. We are particularly concerned about the resurgence of slave trading in Africa and will work with partners on the continent and further afield to combat it. We salute those South African organisations and individuals that are actively engaged in international solidarity work and humanitarian assistance.

The ANC reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence. The ANC condemns the withdrawal of Morocco from the UN-led peace process and calls on the UN to bring all parties back to the negotiating table.

The ANC will continue with its work of supporting the peace process in Sudan and South Sudan so as to find lasting solutions to the outstanding matters on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and solutions to the border conflicts.

The ANC reaffirms its commitment to give practical support to the oppressed people of Palestine and we are of the firm view that the downgrade of the South African embassy in Israel to a Liaison Office would help to send a strong signal in this regard.

The ANC calls on the South African government to increase trade between South Africa and Cuba as a reinforcement of our international solidarity with the people of that country. We call on the United States to remove the illegal economic embargo against Cuba.

TASKS OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

In giving practical expression to the resolutions of the 54th National Conference – and inspired by the life, contribution and vision of Nelson Mandela – the following priority tasks for the movement have been identified for 2018.

  • We shall undertake a deliberate programme of organisational renewal that decisively addresses problems of division and dysfunction within the organisation. This will include concrete steps to empower members of the ANC to determine the direction of the movement and to decide – free from manipulation and coercion – on who should lead the movement. They need to guide its policies, priorities and programmes informed by the needs and concerns of the communities in which they are located. We shall therefore work to get rid of the gate-keeping, vote buying and undue interference that strips ANC members of their rights, responsibilities and influence. We will build a membership system that is transparent, efficient and credible.
  • We shall work to restore the integrity and credibility of the ANC. We need cadres who are committed to serve no other interest than the interests of the people, who seek no advantage for themselves or their families from the positions they occupy, and who safeguard public resources. We shall strengthen the Integrity Commission to deal with matters of ethics in the organisation and finalise its standing and the status of its decisions by June this year.
  • We shall undertake measures to bring the ANC closer to the people, building our branches as vibrant, dynamic units that take up the most pressing social and economic challenges in our communities. Our branches need to attract the most active, brightest, most upstanding, and most committed members of our communities – young and old, women and men, black and white – and thus become examples of the best citizens that our society offers.
  • The ANC will work with renewed determination to unite all South Africans – regardless of race, class or affiliation – around a shared vision of fundamental transformation. We need to restore the unity of purpose and sense of common destiny that was forged under the leadership of Nelson Mandela.
  • We shall mobilise all social partners, in particular government, labour and business, behind an economic recovery plan. The urgency of this task is underlined by low levels of growth and job creation, constrained public finances, ratings downgrades and corruption which undermine efforts to tackle poverty and inequality. It is only through working together, in pursuit of a common objective underpinned by mutual respect and trust, that we shall be able to turn the economy around.
  • We shall confront corruption and state capture in all the forms and manifestations that these scourges assume. This includes the immediate establishment of a commission of inquiry into state capture. The investigation and prosecution of those responsible will be given top priority. Mechanisms for the appointment of individuals to senior government positions, state owned entities and law enforcement agencies will be strengthened to improve transparency, prevent undue influence and ensure adequate vetting of candidates.
  • We must work to restore the credibility of public institutions, including state owned enterprises and law enforcement agencies, by addressing excessive turnover in senior positions, undue political interference, poor coordination and corruption.
  • As part of the work needed to improve access to relevant quality education, we must urgently develop and implement an affordable and sustainable funding model to ensure that poor, working class and ‘middle class’ students progressively receive free higher education. We must do this not only to promote social justice and redress the inequities of the past, but to ensure that we produce capable graduates on a scale that feeds economic growth and social development.
  • We shall implement a comprehensive approach to land reform and agricultural development that utilises a range of mechanisms to accelerate the redistribution of land to black South Africans and to provide the necessary support to ensure that this is accompanied by an increase in agricultural production and food security. The NEC will develop proposals with regard to expropriation of land without compensation as part of the mechanisms available to government.

These are the central tasks that must occupy all ANC structures, leaders, cadres and members during the course of 2018.

As we work to implement all the resolutions of the ANC 54th National Conference, we are resolute in our commitment to make this the year in which we rebuild our movement and turn around the South African economy.

TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES

The ANC honours the courage, dedication and selfless service of those activists who passed away over the past year.

We dip our banner in honour of Ahmed Kathrada, Major General Mxolisi Petane, Sindiso Magaqa, Emma Mashinini, Essa Moosa, Laloo Isu Chiba, Mochubela Seekoe, Ronnie Mamoepa, Kay Moonsamy, John Ncinane, John Pilane, Reverend Jakes Alberts, Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, Keorapetse Kgositsile among others.

Their contribution to the struggle for humane social relations must continue to guide and inspire our actions.

In recognition of the enormous responsibility we have to unite, rebuild and revitalise the movement and lead an urgent programme of economic growth, job creation and transformation, the NEC declares 2018 as ‘100 YEARS OF NELSON MANDELA: THE YEAR OF RENEWAL, UNITY AND JOBS.’

Source: Allafrica

Fixing education system is key to solving Nigeria’s problems

European countries have begun to mobilise in earnest to combat the large-scale unlawful migration of Africans seeking a better life.

These economic migrants are putting a strain on Europe’s already stretched budget. A logical solution would therefore appear to be greater policing of the borders. Such efforts appear effective at face value. However, they are at best sticking plasters seeking to cover deep lacerations.

They do not contemplate why adults would risk their lives (and those of their children) to embark on perilous journeys across the Sahara desert and across the Mediterranean. In Nigeria, 1.8m students applied for admission into the country’s institutions of higher education this year, but there were only about 850,000 places available.

Consequently, most Nigerians will not be able to obtain a university degree, which is a prerequisite for the year-long National Youth Service Corps scheme. Without a NYSC certificate, job seekers cannot be formally employed in government service or most corporate jobs in Nigeria. Most Nigerians are likely to remain trapped in the informal sector, performing low-skill/low-wage jobs.

According to UNICEF, over 10.5m children are not enrolled in school, and that figure is growing. We also know that the public education system is fraught with challenges. These range from insufficient, dilapidated infrastructure to outdated and limited teaching aids, as well as insufficient numbers of teachers (many of whom are not qualified to teach).

This system therefore produces large numbers of people who are unemployable. Employers continue to express their frustration at being unable to fill positions because the local talent pool is too shallow. Many jobs remain vacant for this avoidable reason.

Without access to jobs, millions face destitution. In Western countries people can turn to the state for social safety nets. In Nigeria, they turn to their extended families, whose own financial obligations are already overwhelming.

Certain well-intentioned solutions to this conundrum involve private-sector-led initiatives to provide students with better quality teaching using technology (through online learning, for instance). This approach is welcome, as it bypasses the shortcomings in the public system.

However, it is still largely inaccessible to the majority. Online learning cannot be a broadly impactful option when, according to Freedom House, internet penetration still stands at only 47% in the country. Building more private schools will also not fix the problem because most will be unable to afford the fees. It is a vicious cycle.

To truly address Nigeria’s problems, citizens must hold the government to its core function of providing them with adequate public services (including a decent education). Funding for basic education must be increased to significantly improve the infrastructure of public schools, modernise the curriculum while emphasising instruction in science, technology, engineering and maths, and ensure that the best teachers are deployed en masse.

Public funds must also be better deployed to ensure that they are invested in projects that benefit the majority. Short of fixing the educational system for everyone, Nigeria’s aspiration to industrialise will remain unrealised.

Source: African Business Magazine

Botswana: Ministry Aims to Improve Transport Sector

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila says there is need for the ministry to look into moving freight off the road to air and rail transport to ease movement on the roads.

Mr Mokaila said this recently when presenting the transport sector roadmap during the first session of the five day transport sector retreat in Palapye recently.

“The statistics of the SADC freight for example, reflects that 80 per cent is being transported by road. We need to ease such road usage in order to make our roads last longer and have less accidents in keeping up with the target 2020 of reducing fatalities,” he said.

He said considering that the ministry was tasked with ICT and transportation responsibilities, they must strategically look at how they could use ICT to get people off the roads.

“We are gearing towards working with the Department of Roads and Transport Services (DRTS) to develop a taxi system that works for the economy. There is need to facilitate for taxis to get passengers to their destinations without hassles through the use of ICT,” he said.

Mr Mokaila said their responsibilities as a ministry included ensuring the safety of the people and making sure that they reached their destination on time hence the need to build a sound road transport system.

“We have to get out of our comfort zone and introduce something different in the public transport system,” stated Mr Mokaila.

Based on the developments being introduced by the Ministry of Land Management Water and Sanitation Services, Minister Mokaila said there was need for his ministry to see what they could change to ensure ease of transportation from high concentration areas such as bus ranks and airports.

“With regard to financial prudence and the usage of funds, we have the road fund which collects around P1.6 billion annually. This fund can assist in the maintenance and development of roads, but it has been used as a sludge fund in over-paying contractors, for work they could not perform,” he said.

He said the Ministry was now going to be ruthless in monitoring, so that projects were delivered on time and within budget to enable the fund to cater for developments.

He urged the team to be fearless in performing their duties.

“Do what you have to do in the public interest at all times, regardless of who you know. You should habour zero fear in telling me 100 per cent of the truth,” he said.

The ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr Kabelo Ebineng said the objective of the workshop was to introspect, re-focus and align ministry priorities.

“As we reflect before mapping our way forward, we shall look at those aspects that have been previously analysed, conclusions reached and found to be beneficial, but have not been implemented, quicken the pace and make sure that it happens,” he said.

Source : Thuso Kgakatsi, BOPA, Allafrica.com