President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the Government of National Unity (GNU) leaders’ retreat as “excellent and meaningful,” saying it created a constructive space for coalition partners to engage frankly on the challenges facing South Africa.
The two-day meeting, held at the Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng, brought together ten representatives from GNU parties along with Deputy President Paul Mashatile. The gathering was called by Ramaphosa amid growing concerns from some political leaders who had expressed frustration over the coalition’s lack of coordination and the absence of a unified policy approach following the budget controversy and the stalled National Dialogue.
Ramaphosa said the retreat provided an opportunity to reflect on the state of the country, politics, and international issues. He described the mood of the meeting as “congenial and pleasant,” noting that the discussions were both frank and solution-oriented.
“It was an excellent and meaningful engagement,” Ramaphosa said. “We spent a considerable amount of time assessing the challenges our nation faces and identifying areas where the GNU can act more decisively.”
Key issues on the agenda included corruption, crime, and service delivery failures. The president said the leaders also discussed the persistent problems of hunger and a stagnant economy, both of which continue to affect millions of South Africans.
Despite acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Ramaphosa said the retreat was not all bleak. He highlighted progress in stabilising the country’s electricity supply and improvements in the logistics sector, which have been critical to economic recovery efforts.
He also praised the work of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), describing its performance as “phenomenal” in recovering stolen public funds and assets.
“The progress and success they are recording in recovering ill-gotten goods and money shows there’s progress — but we want to see even more progress,” Ramaphosa said.
However, the president expressed concern about the poor performance of local government, calling the state of municipalities “totally unsatisfactory.” He said communities continued to suffer due to weak service delivery and financial mismanagement in several local administrations.
Youth unemployment also featured prominently in the discussions, with leaders reviewing the performance of the Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs). The SETAs have recently faced criticism over allegations of inefficiency and corruption.
Ramaphosa said the GNU retreat marked an important step in strengthening collaboration among coalition partners and building a unified vision for South Africa’s recovery.
“This retreat was about coming together, listening to one another, and reaffirming our shared commitment to building a capable, ethical, and effective government,” he said.
The president added that similar gatherings would be held regularly to ensure continued dialogue and alignment within the GNU as it works to address the country’s pressing social and economic challenges.