Ramaphosa: Job creation is the foremost priority for South African government

Job creation is the South African government’s most pressing matter, as the country works to translate hard-won economic gains into sustainable and tangible livelihoods for millions of citizens.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who delivered the keynote address at the News24 On the Record Summit, which began at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday last week.

“Creating jobs is the foremost priority of this government. Our single greatest challenge is to translate positive economic momentum into jobs for the millions of South Africans who remain unemployed. A job is more than just an income. It is about dignity, about confidence, about a sense of belonging, and an ability to contribute to our community and our society,” Ramaphosa said.

Driving reforms

Ramaphosa said that after years of stagnation, economic growth is “improving, investment is expanding, and more jobs are being created”. He attributed the turnaround to the government’s sustained, multi-year reform implementation, citing improvements at Eskom and Transnet as key areas.

“Our reform agenda has built up significant momentum, enabling growing confidence in our economic trajectory. By implementing far-reaching reforms to our electricity sector, we have brought an end to load shedding and are creating an environment for businesses to invest and grow,” he said.

Operation Vulindlela (OV), a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury, is also accelerating structural reforms. “[OV] has enabled us to address many of the key binding constraints on our economy by focusing on a limited number of priorities with the greatest impact,” the President said.

Social support

Ramaphosa acknowledged that the changes South Africans wish to see have “not yet materialised”, but expressed confidence that the country is on the right track. He said that as structural reforms continue, support for the unemployed is also being expanded.

“We must continue to strengthen our social protection system. By redesigning the Social Relief of Distress Grant, we will ensure that those receiving the grant have access to a wide range of support to search for work and to sustain a livelihood,” he said.

Uplifting the youth

The government’s employment strategy remains focused on creating pathways for young people. The Presidential Employment Stimulus has created over 2.5 million opportunities in public and social employment over the past five years.

“The stimulus has shown that public employment is not only about providing an income; it is about creating meaningful work that benefits communities while building skills,” the President said. He noted that more than 5 million young people are now registered on the SAYouth.mobi platform.

He issued a call to the private sector to join the fight against youth unemployment through the Youth Employment Service (YES), which has already provided work experience to more than 220,000 young people.

A nation at work

Ramaphosa told the gathering that South Africa possesses the necessary ingredients to “create jobs for the economy of the future,” pointing to the country's sophisticated financial sector, renewable energy resources, and thriving agricultural industry.

However, he said this growth exists within a context of global instability, specifically noting that the conflict in the Middle East is likely to exact a heavy toll on global economies by increasing energy costs and disrupting supply chains.

“It is by creating jobs that we will open the doors of opportunity to all, and build a society that is more equal, more stable, and more united,” the President said.