Happy holidays to all! 

Friday, December 22, 2023

President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished all South Africans well this holiday season. 

Holiday festivities are expected to kick off in earnest this weekend, as people living in the country come together to prepare to celebrate Christmas or the end of year holiday season. 

“As we look back on the year, we are reminded once more of the great South African spirit that gives us courage, hope and the will to persevere.

“We pay tribute to citizens from all walks of life, who are working to make ours a country of shared freedom, equality and prosperity, where no one is left behind,” he said. 

With New Year’s Day just over a week away, the President said this is a time for hope for the future. 

“We look to the next year with hope. May we continue to draw from the deepest wells of resilience, humanity and compassion that make us who we are. Wherever you are this festive season, I wish you well,” President Ramaphosa said.

In his last weekly newsletter for this year, the President acknowledged that South Africa has endured a difficult 2023. 

He said that while “times are still tough”, much progress has been made but there is “still some way to go”.

“What is most important is that we have done much of the groundwork needed to put our economy on a path of faster growth and job creation. By working together, by staying the course, we have used the last year to lay the basis for a better 2024,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za