Ramaphosa rejects ‘political theatrics’, urges focus on inclusive growth and jobs

President Cyril Ramaphosa told the National Assembly he will not be distracted by what he described as “political theatrics” as his administration focuses on growing an inclusive economy and creating jobs.

Reply to the Presidency budget vote debate

Replying to the debate on the budget vote of the Presidency, Ramaphosa said his administration and those who lead it are “focused on the work that must be done to move with greater urgency and purpose to transform our economy.”

He said the determination to drive transformation and growth “is shared across the government. It is shared by most of the members of this House, and it is certainly shared by the people of this country.”

Dismissal of distractions amid political pressure

Ramaphosa made the remarks a day after the Phala Phala scandal became central to the budget debate, during which parties urged him to be transparent and some called for his resignation.

He said:

“We are not distracted by the clamour from some political parties for attention. We are not distracted by political theatre or electoral posturing.”

Several speakers referenced the impeachment process Parliament has embarked upon following the Constitutional Court judgment. Ramaphosa said his approach is “guided, as it has always been, by the supremacy of our Constitution and the rule of law.”

Respecting institutions and constitutional processes

Ramaphosa emphasised that democratic institutions must be allowed to work without interference or intimidation and said he will “continue to uphold the principles and safeguard the integrity of my office. I will respect the work and authority of Parliament and abide by the rulings of our courts.”

He expressed confidence in constitutional processes and undertook to continue to respect and abide by them, saying:

“We will not allow anything to slow the momentum of growth and transformation that, with each passing day, is gaining more and more pace.”

Role of the Presidency and partnerships

Ramaphosa described work to rebuild the Presidency “as an institution with the resources, capability, and intent to provide strategic direction and coordination.” He said the Presidency’s coordinating role is to ensure coherence across government, drive implementation, remove obstacles to progress and translate national priorities into measurable outcomes.

He framed partnerships with business, labour, civil society, community organisations and development organisations as conducted “in a spirit of collaboration, mutual respect and transparency,” and said those partnerships have proven invaluable.

Accountability, state capture and crime

On state capture, Ramaphosa said:

“The State Capture Commission estimated that more than R57 billion in public funds were lost through state capture.”

He added that recoveries by law enforcement linked to the commission’s work stood at over R17 billion, and that the Special Investigating Unit recovered R1.3 billion in cash and assets in the past financial year.

Ramaphosa said the administration is strengthening consequence management, improving procurement oversight and promoting ethical leadership, concluding:

“We need to do much more to promote consequence management. Yes, we will take the criticism and we will strengthen our resolve to have more and more consequence management.”

He also said concerns about crime, violence and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system are “legitimate and urgent” and must be treated as a national priority, with particular focus on organised crime, gun violence and restoring stability in communities affected by gang warfare.