South Africa's investor and local business confidence has been solidified by President Jacob Zuma's re-election and Cyril Ramaphosa's appointment as his deputy at the African National Congress' elective conference in Mangaung in the Free State, Brand South Africa chairperson Chichi Maponya said on Tuesday.
"It creates a better sense of certainty and continuity," Maponya said in a statement.
"Brand South Africa is confident that the return of Jacob Zuma to the helm of the ANC’s bodes well for the country’s future", the organisation said.
"It is also pleasing to see the return of businessman Cyril Ramaphosa, who as Zuma’s deputy, will help solidify the ANC presidency and improve investor and local business confidence," Maponya said.
In his report, Zuma reiterated the government’s commitment to five priorities areas – education, health, rural development and land reform, the fight against crime and job creation.
He described the launch of the National Planning Commission this year as a major achievement for the government.
The plan was a "comprehensive" response for tackling "problems of poverty, inequality and unemployment, infrastructure, education and skills development, small business development, education and the national health insurance", Zuma said.
Maponya said she looked forward to the outcome of deliberations at the conference, and hoped that South Africa’s socio-development agenda would be enhanced further.
She was pleased that although an estimated 30 000 people are currently in Mangaung, the elective conference was largely peaceful and orderly.
"Robust debates and the contestations that characterised the conference is yet another sign that South Africa’s democracy is resilient and maturing. As Brand South Africa we look forward to an acceleration of policy implementation," she said.
via SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg)
