Official Newspaper of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa Vol 02
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Vol 02 Official newspaper of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa Issue 10 PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA www.parliament.gov.za parliamentofrsa 2 INSESSION NEWS “We will rise again” says 2021 SONA President Ramaphosa anchored during #SONA21 to four government priorities President Cyril Ramaphosa focused his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on just four priorities for 2021. Firstly, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic; secondly, accelerate economic recovery; thirdly, implement economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth; and finally, fight corruption and strengthen the state, writes Mava Lukani. President Cyril Ramaphosa Delivering the 2021 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a hybrid joint sitting of Parliament, President Cyril Ramaphosa took the nation down memory lane to the release of former President Nelson Mandela 31 years ago, when he walked out of the gates of Victor Verster prison as a free person, a living embodiment of the resilience and courage of the South African people, writes Mava Lukani. President Ramaphosa said: of the most diverse on the have been infected with the “On the day of his release, planet. Fynbos is also very coronavirus and the more Madiba gave his first public adaptable and thrives in hot, than 45 000 people who are address here in Cape Town, dry summers and cool, rainy known to have died from where he reminded South winters. And every once in Covid-19. “Beyond these HISTORY: Hybrid joint sitting of Parliament Africans that there were a while, it needs fire to burn statistics lies a human story difficult days ahead, and through it, so that seeds of tragedy and pain. It is In previous years, SONA basic health protocols, the that the battle was far from can be released, plants can also a story of courage and would have included six or devastation caused by this being won.” Quoting former rejuvenate and the whole resilience. The year ahead seven priority areas for the virus could have been far President Mandela, President cycle of life can begin again. must be a time for change, government’s plans for the worse,” the President said. Ramaphosa said: “Now is “Throughout the summer, the for progress and for rebirth, year, but President Ramaphosa the time to intensify the burned foliage lies desolate,” and it must be a year in said he will address the other Part of the government’s struggle on all fronts. To relax President Ramaphosa said. which we rise again,” the important elements of the measures to combat our efforts now would be a “But when the autumn rains President said. government’s programme for the disease include the mistake which generations return, the seeds germinate, the year in the coming weeks. intensification of prevention to come will not be able to and its life cycle begins all efforts and strengthening the forgive.” over again.” President ramaphosa health system. In addition, emphasised on the nation’s the government is planning In counting the great cost Nearly a year has passed recovery from Covid-19, a massive vaccination of the past year, President since South Africa saw its as South Africa has just programme to save lives and Ramaphosa said we may be first case of Covid-19. “As we emerged from the second dramatically reduce infections tempted to lose faith. “But we look on the grave damage wave of infections, driven by across the population. can get through this. Because that this disease has caused,” a new variant of the virus. we are a nation of heroes.” the President continued, “we This second wave was more President Ramaphosa He compared our resilience to know that like the fynbos, like severe, the President said, and mentioned the recent South Africa’s extraordinary all those who have walked cost many more lives than the setback to these plans, in fybos family of plants that this land before us, we will first. “Had the government that one of the vaccines the have thrived on the southern- rise again.” not moved quickly to restrict government had procured, the most tip of Africa for 40 movement and activity, had AstraZeneca vaccine, offers million years. This group of The President remembered the government not prepared minimal protection from mild plants included the national the nearly one-and-a-half its health facilities, had South to moderate infection by the flower, the protea, and is one million South Africans who Africans not observed the new variant known as 501Y SONA 3 V2. “This is according to global Covax facility. early findings of a study Four priority by our scientists and This stock of vaccines will researchers. The government be complemented by other applauds these scientists vaccines that are available inteventions will for leading this research to South Africa through and providing new evidence the African Union’s African drive economic that is vital for guiding our Vaccine Acquisition Task response. Since this variant Team facility. Pfizer has is now the dominant variant also committed 20 million growth Editor in our country, these findings vaccine doses, the President Brent Simons have significant implications said, commencing with During the State of the Nation Address Production editor for the pace, design and deliveries at the end of the Mava Lukani sequencing of our vaccine first quarter. (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa said programme,” he said. the government will focus on four priority Design and layout MIND TRIX MEDIA President Ramaphosa economic interventions. They are: a rollout While it should not delay assured South Africans Copy editors of infrastructure throughout the country; an Jane Henshall, Vusumzi Nobadula the start of the vaccination that all medication programme by much, it imported into the country increase in local production; an employment Writers will affect the choice of is monitored, evaluated, stimulus to create jobs and support livelihoods; Mava Lukani, Abel Mputing, Sakhile Mokoena, Malatswa vaccines and the manner of investigated, inspected and and the rapid expansion of energy generation Molepo their deployment. “The first registered by the South capacity, writes Mava Lukani. Photography phase of our vaccination African Health Products Mlandeli Puzi, programme, which is Regulatory Authority. “We Zwelethemba Kostile targeted at health and will continue to use the On infrastructure, he said: On support to increase local Distribution & subscriptions other frontline workers, science-driven approach “We knew that to achieve production and to make Jacqueline Zils will now use the Johnson that has served us well this objective we would need South African exports globally Publisher & Johnson vaccine, which since the earliest days of to steadily rebuild technical competitive, the President Parliament of the Republic of has been shown to be the pandemic,” he added. skills within government to announced that social South Africa effective against the 501Y prepare and manage large partners that participated Printer V2 variant.” infrastructure projects. The in the development of the Vision Enterprises government has developed Economic Reconstruction and He announced that the an infrastructure investment Recovery Plan have agreed to Section Manager: Publishing and Production government has secured project pipeline worth work together to reduce South Shirley Montsho nine million doses of the R340 billion in network Africa’s reliance on imports by Copyright Johnson & Johnson vaccine industries such as energy, 20% over the next five years. INSESSION is is published by and that the first batch of water, transport and the Information and Content 80 000 doses will arrive in telecommunications. These As the Covid-19 pandemic Development Unit of the Parliamentary Communication the country the following projects include two major forced the closure of global Services of the Parliament week. Further consignments human settlements projects value chains, the government of the Republic of South Africa. All material published is that will provide homes to will arrive over the next four has been able to speed up copyrighted and cannot be weeks, totalling 500 000 almost 68 000 households this initiative as the local reproduced without the written Johnson & Johnson vaccines. in Gauteng. Similar human supply chains opened to permission of the publisher. In addition, he said: “We settlements projects are locally manufactured products. EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES have secured 12 million planned in other provinces.” To this end, Cabinet approved Telephone 021 403 8738 Fax 021 403 8096 vaccine doses from the the SMME [Small, Medium and E-mail On the creation of new cities, Micro Enterprises] Focused [email protected] the President said the draft Localisation Policy Framework, Subscriptions [email protected] masterplan for a smart city, which identified 1 000 Post which will become home products. PO Box 15, Cape Town, 8000 to between 350 000 to 500 OUR IDEALS 000 people within the next Furthermore, the departments Vision decade, was completed in of Small Business An activist and responsive people’s Parliament that November 2020 and is now Development and of Trade, improves the quality of life of out for public comment. Industry and Competition South Africans and ensures are supporting SMMEs to enduring equality in our society. Meanwhile, the Infrastructure access larger domestic and Strategic Objectives Investment Plan identifies international markets. “These Strengthening oversight and accountability; roads projects worth R19 efforts are supported by enhancing public involvement; billion covering the spine robust manufacturing support deepening engagement in of the South African road programmes,” he added. international fora; strengthening cooperative network. Work is underway government; to finalise project finance On industrialisation, which strengthening legislative capacity. structuring for these projects. is underpinned by sector Resources have been master plans to rejuvenate BOOK A TOUR committed from the fiscus to and grow key industries, To tour Parliament Telephone 021 403 2266 support the construction and the President reported that E-mail [email protected] rehabilitation of the major N1, four master plans have been SYMBOLS OF AUTHORITY: Mace and Black Rod N2, and N3 highways.