Pretoria - Business sector representatives are today reporting back to the Presidential Business Working Group on progress made in promoting an inclusive economy, skills development and issues relating to the labour market and township economy.
President Jacob Zuma, along with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and ministers, is locked in a meeting with Business Unity SA (BUSA) and the Black Business Council (BBC) in Pretoria.
They are also discussing collaboration in removing obstacles to inclusive growth and job creation in line with the National Development Plan (NDP).
Ahead of the meeting in the morning, Trade and Industry (dti) Minister Rob Davies briefed media at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.
He said the working groups were expected to show what the sector has achieved so far and that the meeting will review the state of the country’s economy through BUSA and BCC as the two main business organisations.
Minister Davies said government will also do a presentation on progress made with regards to the nine-point plan that was announced by President Zuma in the State of the Nation Address at the beginning of the year.
“We are making some progress… but there are some domestic challenges principally around energy,” he said.
The Minister said they will also discuss issues affecting the mining sector and global challenges affecting the steel sector in South Africa.
Government and the business sector are making progress in dealing with the issues.
The Minister said although progress has been made to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, it was not yet enough.
“Effectively, what we are faced with now is to achieve the target of 5% inclusive growth by the end of the term, which is the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) objective. We have got to make sure that we find the new basis for growth,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
