President Ramaphosa highlights IRR’s argument for hope, and a better future

While acknowledging the considerable challenges facing South Africa, the IRR has produced a series of reports celebrating the many successes achieved by South Africans working together to build a better country.

With good reason, in our view, President Cyril Ramaphosa cited our most recent report in his address to the Jewish community at Gardens Synagogue in Cape Town this week.

The IRR has been a lone voice in arguing that far more has been achieved in increasing living standards in the country since 1994 than many people understand. In areas ranging from job creation to service delivery, South Africa has become a better place for the great majority of its people.

Central to our argument is that it is possible for South Africa to restore the momentum of the progress and success achieved in the first decade and a half of the democratic era – but which slowed after 2007 – by focusing on sensible economic and other policies that stimulate economic growth, job creation, and optimism among ordinary South Africans as much as investors, local and international.

The problems and risks South Africa faces today emphasise the gravity of this challenge, but the record of successes reflects the capacity of ordinary people, working together – paying tax, creating businesses, employing people and investing in the future – in realising a better country.

Collectively, South Africans deserve grateful thanks for their efforts, and the IRR urges the government to acknowledge the potential of this collective effort by providing the leadership and policy environment that best enables it, and avoiding strategies, such as expropriation without compensation, that can only undermine it.

Watch President Cyril Ramaphosa talk about the IRR’s reports or visit www.irr.org.za to learn more.

Statement issued by the IRR, 14 September 2018