Writers: Allison Cooper and SAnews
STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
SONA 2022:
Improving lives and livelihoods
G
overnment is
remains our common
unacceptable and unsus-
enable the private sec-
committed to put-
programme to rebuild the
tainable.”
tor – both big and small
ting people first,
economy,” he said.
and is finalising a plan to
The President said gov-
Creating jobs
– to emerge, to grow, to access new markets, to
involve all sectors of socie-
ernment’s priorities are
Last year, the unemploy-
create new products, and
ty in growing South Africa’s
overcoming the Corona-
ment rate reached its
to hire more employees,”
economy, creating jobs and
virus Disease (COVID-19)
highest recorded level of
he said.
combating hunger.
pandemic, building
34.9% in the third quarter,
Around 80% of em-
This was emphasised
infrastructure, increasing
following the financial
ployed people work in the
by President Cyril Rama-
local production, creating
devastation caused by
private sector.
phosa in his recent
jobs and addressing the
COVID-19.
2022 State of the Nation
energy crisis.
The President said
“We all know that gov-
government will introduce
ernment does not create
a new loan guarantee
“This work will build
we all agree on, it is that
jobs. Business creates
scheme to help small
on the foundation of the
the present situation – of
jobs. The key task of
businesses recover.
Economic Reconstruction
deep poverty, unemploy-
government is to create
and Recovery Plan, which
ment and inequality – is
the conditions that will
Address.
8
“If there is one thing
The Presidential Employment Stimulus
Public Sector Manager • February 2022
