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President Cyril Ramaphosa is in the hot seat this afternoon in the National Assembly, where he will answer questions from members of Parliament.
The big topic of discussion is the economy, as Ramaphosa will field questions on issues such as investment, socioeconomic challenges such as jobs and inequality, and ways to boost small businesses.
Investment
There are six questions on the agenda, two of which relate to Ramaphosa’s special envoys on investment. On April 16, Ramaphosa announced the appointment of these four envoys, who would travel to major financial centres in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas to meet with potential investors. Their mandate is to attract a total amount of $100 million (about R1.3 billion) in new investment over the next five years.
ANC MP Adrian Williams is to ask what message the team intended to convey to potential investors and what the government’s strategic objectives are for convening the investment conference in September 2018.
On the same topic, DA leader Mmusi Maimane wants to know the details of the assurances that the envoys would give potential foreign investors to ensure that the National Development Plan’s growth targets are met, despite the government’s plan to expropriate land without compensation.
Jobs, inequality
ANC MP Ruth Bhengu wants to know Ramaphosa’s position on the findings and proposals of the South Africa economic update jobs and inequality report by the World Bank, which was released in April.
ANC MP Hope Malgas has two questions related to Ramaphosa’s speech at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, where he said that “we must recognise our own wounds as a nation” and “acknowledge that we are a society that is hurting, damaged by our past”. The first question is: “What did he mean when he said that we must recognise our wounds and damage as a nation that were caused by our past and that it impacts on how we respond both to the current situation and our future?”
The second question from Malgas was how the nation should deal with its current and future socioeconomic challenges.
Small businesses
African Independent Congress MP Mandlenkosi Galo wants to know how Ramaphosa intends to reduce barriers for small businesses. In particular, Galo asked about the Competition Commission, “which should be the instrument that breaks down these barriers”, but which continued to “approve mergers among large corporation, hindering an efficient and competitive environment for small and medium enterprises”.
However, Ramaphosa will also have to breach the subject of the police’s Crime Intelligence unit because Cope MP Deidre Carter is expected to ask: “Whether, in the interests of transparency, accountability, responsibility, the rule of law and the best interests of the country, he will establish a commission of inquiry into the alleged serious dysfunction, malfeasance, corruption and gross abuse of resources of the state, including financial resources, for wrongful ends within the Crime Intelligence division of the SA Police Service and the State Security Agency; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?”
The sitting is scheduled for 2pm. To follow it live, tune into Parliament’s live feed on YouTube or follow City Press on Twitter @City_Press.
