President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the opening keynote address at News24’s On the Record summit.
Jeffrey Abrahams/Gallo Images; GCIS/Supplied
- President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the opening keynote at News24’s two-day On the Record summit.
- The aim of the summit is to find practical solutions that will create five million jobs in 10 years.
- News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson said the publication wanted to contribute by shining a light on the country’s number-one problem.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the opening keynote at News24’s two-day On the Record summit, taking place in Cape Town on 19 and 20 March.
The aim of the summit is to find practical solutions that will create five million jobs in 10 years.
In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, Ramaphosa referenced the National Dialogue that was launched last year to bring South Africans together to search for interventions to the country’s problems.
“Now is not the time to rest. Now is the time for all South Africans to be part of taking our country forward.”
At the first event of the National Dialogue in August last year, he said South Africans had to “listen to each other, to understand one another and to chart a common path forward for our country”.
“Across the length and breadth of South Africa, people will and must meet to talk of what worries them, what gives them hope and how they think their lives and our country can be better.”
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News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson said the publication wanted to contribute by shining a light on the country’s number-one problem.
“Unemployment is undoubtedly the biggest challenge facing our country. There is no sustainable future for South Africa if we don’t move the needle on unemployment and economic growth.”
Last year, News24 partnered with Ipsos to conduct a representative poll on South Africa’s biggest challenges. The answer from South Africans was unequivocal – we need more jobs.
The On the Record summit follows a nine-month research project undertaken by News24 and the Africa Centre to consult around 60 influential South Africans across academia, business and civil society around tangible solutions that could be implemented to create five million jobs in the next decade.
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“All South Africa’s biggest problems, including crime, corruption, poor education, and crumbling infrastructure, are directly linked to slow economic growth and rampant unemployment,” Basson said. South Africa’s official unemployment number is 33%, and the expanded definition, if you include people who have stopped looking for work, over 40%.
We believe that a job gives a person dignity, a purpose in life and agency to be an active citizen and not someone who merely waits for government to determine their fate.
“News24 is honoured to have the president open our conference, which brings together top South African business people, civil society representatives, civil servants, trade union leaders, and politicians. Discussions will be robust, and some proposals will be a wake-up call to the political establishment,” said Basson.
The summit will also be informed by key international contributions from experts such as the Chinese economist Dr Keyu Jin, the former deputy chair of the Planning Commission of India, Dr Montek Ahluwalia, and well-known Irish economist and author David McWilliams.
Other speakers at the event include former finance minister Trevor Manuel, award-winning News24 investigative journalist Jeff Wicks, Business Leadership SA CEO Busisiwe Mavuso, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, former Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Ninety One CEO Hendrik du Toit, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke.
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Panels focusing on the economy, growth, youth unemployment, black economic empowerment, crime and the future of our cities will be hosted by News24 editors, including writer-at-large Carol Paton, business editor Helena Wasserman, investigations editor Pieter du Toit, deputy editor Ahmed Areff, and Basson.
The event will be hosted by Bruce Whitfield, the host of Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week on News24, and broadcast journalist Devi Sankaree Govender. The internationally acclaimed Ndlovu Youth Choir will perform at the opening of the summit at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
For the full summit programme, visit the On the Record mini site here.
News24 has released 100 additional tickets to the summit. Get your free ticket here.
For media accreditation to attend the event, contact sarah@news24otr.co.za.
