CR spells out plans to get SA working again

Here are the highlights of the speech delivered by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday.

On the economy

Guided by the National Development Plan, we aim to restore our focus on building an economy in which all South Africans can flourish... The country needs an open, dynamic economy that embraces technological innovation, pursues higher productivity, creates jobs that pay better and improves the quality of life for all.

We recognise the challenges of modernisation and the imperatives of structural change in all sectors, especially in mining, manufacturing, agriculture and finance.

On education

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...

This will be implemented by providing full bursaries for tuition and study materials to qualifying South African students...

For returning university NSFAS funded students, in 2018 and going forward, their loans will be converted into full bursaries.

On corruption

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... They should continue to be at the forefront of the fight against corruption and state capture.