As President Cyril Ramaphosa celebrates his 73rd birthday, he marks the occasion amid a packed, politically significant week.
This coincides with a period in which his administration is intensifying its political and economic agenda, laying the final groundwork for G20 Leaders’ Summit.
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE CHANGES
The president has officially sworn in the newly appointed members of his National Executive, following last week’s announcement of a reshuffled cabinet. The changes are intended to strengthen governance, sharpen the focus on priority sectors, and improve service delivery.
Willem Abraham Stephanus Aucamp was appointed as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, and Alexandra Lilian Amelia Abrahams as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.
Adding to the week’s momentum, a G20 Breakfast Panel was held ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for Saturday, 22 November, and Sunday, 23 November, an event of historic significance as South Africa prepares to host the G20 on African soil for the first time.
RAMAPHOSA REMAINS OPTIMISTIC
In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa expressed optimism about the country’s economic outlook, saying several indicators point to “green shoots of an emerging economic recovery.” He said South Africa is able to showcase a country and an economy on the rise. The president highlighted a recent decline in unemployment and affirmed that South Africa is on track to achieve a third consecutive primary budget surplus.
Ramaphosa also commended improvements in the energy sector, noting that Eskom is on the road to recovery after years of instability.
“Despite considerable headwinds that have included a global pandemic, a debilitating energy crisis and more recently, a difficult global trade environment, we have stayed the course on economic recovery and are now seeing this pay off,” Ramaphosa said.
He credited the progress to strong, collaborative partnerships between government, business, labour, and civil society, stressing that these relationships remain central to building a resilient economy.
“We are determined to sustain the momentum of this economic recovery, so that we can drive inclusive growth, create jobs and improve the lives of our citizens,” Ramaphosa added.
