Growth must dominate economic discussion at conference - Zuma

ANC President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa share a light moment before the start of the ANC Policy conference taking place at Nasrec. Picture: Masi Losi
ANC President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa share a light moment before the start of the ANC Policy conference taking place at Nasrec. Picture: Masi Losi

Discussions on the economy at the ANC’s national policy conference have to be centered around how to reignite growth‚ President Jacob Zuma said during his opening address on Friday.

This comes as the country has entered a technical recession.

“At the time of the budget in February the economy was expected to grow at a low 1.3% in 2017. Given the current difficulties even this low growth rate may not be achieved‚” Zuma said.

'What has Zuma done wrong?' supporters chant at policy conferenceANC policy conference delegates from KwaZulu-Natal’s eThekwini region stormed into the conference hall in Johannesburg on Friday‚ chanting “he who controls propaganda must tell us what wrong Zuma has done.” 

However‚ he said the policy conference was also taking place against the background of “good progress” that has been made in the country in the past 23 years.

Zuma sent the markets into a tail spin earlier this year when he removed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas during a late-night Cabinet reshuffle.

ANC has never been anti-white - MantasheANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe has warned that the party has never been anti-white. 

He replaced Gordhan with Malusi Gigaba.

Shortly after this some rating agencies downgraded the country’s sovereign credit rating to junk status. This was blamed on the reshuffle and political uncertainty.

The ANC is heading to its elective conference in December‚ where it will elect Zuma’s successor.

Zuma started his address on Friday talking about unity in the ANC.

 

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