Remarks by Ms Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, at Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) Reform Tracker Launch
Venue: Old Mutual Auditorium, 107 Rivonia Road, Sandton
Programme Director, Mr Stephen Grootes,
Deputy Minister of Finance, Honourable Mr Ashor Sarupen,
Deputy Chairperson of Business Leadership South Africa
(BLSA), Mr Bonga Mokoena,
The Board of Directors of BLSA,
CEO of BLSA, Ms Busisiwe Mavuso, and the BLSA
Executive Management,
Executive Chairperson of Krutham, Dr Stuart Theobald,
CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Mr Khulekani Mathe,
Economist from the Bureau of Economic Research (BER),
Dr Roy Havemann,
Colleagues in Government,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning!
I am honoured to address this important occasion – the launch of the Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) Reform Tracker – which underscores our collective commitment, in partnership across all-of-society, to foster a culture of service delivery and development in the country.
I extend my appreciation to BLSA for convening this platform, and for your commitment to creating an enabling environment where the private sector can thrive. Your contribution to South Africa’s economy, job creation, and endeavour to achieve inclusive growth, is both substantial and indispensable.
Today we gather to engage on the importance of policy reforms.
At its core, reform is about transforming the rules of the game to unlock the potential of our economy, institutions, and our people. As Government, the private sector, research and academic institutions, civil society, and indeed all of society, we have a shared national imperative – to grow our economy in an inclusive manner restore public trust, and position South Africa as a competitive and attractive destination for investment. The Reform Tracker that is being launched today is not just a monitoring tool – it is an accountability mirror for all of us across society.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Operating at the centre of government, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) has a clear mandate in the country’s reform journey:
- Planning: The Department sets a coherent, long-term vision for the country, and aligns the priorities of government and public entities to national development goals,
- Monitoring: The Department tracks implementation, identifies blockages, and ensures policy translates into measurable change,
- Evaluation: The Department assesses whether reforms are delivering the intended outcomes and are making corrections where needed.
In coordinating planning, monitoring and evaluation, the DPME plays a crucial role in advancing development in the country. Recently, the G20 Development Working Group (DWG), which I have the privilege of chairing, became the first Working Group to complete under the South African G20 Presidency. The meetings of the DWG culminated in the Ministerial Meeting on Development, which took place at Kruger National Park on 25 July 2025.
This meeting underscored South Africa’s role in leading G20 countries to collectively implement measures to achieve sustainable development and global reforms through the adoption of the Skukuza Development Ministerial Declaration and two Ministerial Calls to Action, which are “Towards inclusive, resilient & sustainable development through universal social protection systems with special priority on social protection floors”, and “Towards voluntary and non-binding high-level principles for combating illicit financial flows.”
We also advanced reforms by calling for the fostering of international co-operation for the protection and delivery of global public goods.
We should be encouraged that the South African Government and private sector have been active players in the advancement of multilateralism and partnership in achieving sustainable development, not only through South Africa’s G20 Presidency, but in various global and multilateral platforms such as the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, where we have prominently advanced reforms in the global financial and governance architecture to accelerate development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In our work through Operation Vulindlela and other reformdriving mechanisms, government is ensuring that the promises of policy are realised in the lived experiences of South Africans.
The second phase of Operation Vulindlela’s structural reforms which is underway, builds on the work of unlocking South Africa’s economic potential and competitiveness by focusing on local government.
To unlock investment, foster dynamic business and to accelerate development, we need to improve the quality and reliability of basic services. To achieve our goals of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our cities, towns and rural regions must foster dynamic business and accelerate development.
We are acutely aware that the optimism which came from the private sector and citizens in our country with the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) after the 2024 General Elections is at the risk of being undone if reforms do not materialise.
In this regard, institutions such as yourselves as BLSA, the Bureau of Economic Research (BER), and the National Planning Commission (NPC), amongst others, have highlighted the importance of strengthening coordination across government and addressing policy uncertainty, to ensure that reforms are implemented.
Programme Director,
As the DPME, we are ensuring that all-of-government is aligned on implementing the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), the five-year programme of action guiding the work of the 7th administration of the South African Government.
The MTDP has three strategic priorities: Drive inclusive growth and job creation; Reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living; and Building a capable, ethical and developmental state.
Economic reforms are being driven through the first strategic priority – to drive inclusive growth and job creation. To realise this, the MTDP sets key economic interventions, which include increasing employment through public employment programmes; driving growth in labour-intensive sectors; continuing with structural reforms in electricity, freight and logistics, communications, transport, and visa regime; and speeding up red tape reduction.
Infrastructure investment is also crucial, with infrastructure reforms prioritised in the MTDP including:
Reducing the infrastructure investment gap, with a government investment commitment exceeding 943.8 billion rand over the medium term (Public infrastructure spending is now at 3.8 percent of GDP compared to the NDP target of 10 percent).
Implementing the Energy Action Plan to end loadshedding, and ensure long-term energy security by adding 40 000 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, and raising the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) to at least 80%.
Completing bulk raw water infrastructure projects across the country and implementing regulatory reforms to ensure reliable water supply and effective wastewater management.
Implementing the Freight Logistics Roadmap to enable private investment, improve efficiency at ports and rail, and shift bulk freight from road to rail; and
Achieving universal internet access by prioritising public schools, improving internet speed and data affordability, and growing the e-commerce industry.
Government is also driving the repositioning of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as instruments of national economic development.
For too long in the country, SOEs have been seen mainly through the lens of their challenges, which include governance lapses, financial distress, and operational inefficiencies. We know very well, that when well-managed, SOEs are powerful levers for industrialisation, infrastructure development, innovation, and employment.
To achieve this, we are:
- Strengthening governance through professional boards and clear performance compacts.
- Implementing operational turnaround strategies grounded in commercial viability and developmental impact.
- Introducing reforms that align SOEs with the country’s growth and industrial policy priorities.
Our Department also finalised the National State Enterprises Bill which is currently undergoing Parliamentary processes. This Bill seeks to establish a centralised shareholder entity, thus separating the state’s ownership function from policy-making and regulation.
This will bring three critical advantages:
- Professionalised oversight – ensuring SOEs are governed according to best commercial and governance standards.
- Clear strategic alignment – focusing SOE mandates on the national development agenda.
- Enhanced accountability and transparency – making it easier to track performance, address inefficiencies, and attract partnerships.
This Bill is not just about consolidation. It is about repositioning the state as a capable, strategic economic actor that complements, rather than crowds out, the private sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
BLSA’s Reform Tracker is a prime example of what is possible when government and business work, not in parallel, but in partnership. It aligns perfectly with our vision of an open, transparent, and evidence-driven reform process.
The Reform Tracker is an intervention which should further deepen collaboration between government and the private sector in implementing our reform agenda and strengthening the state’s capacity.
The DPME has produced its latest Development Indicators and Bi-annual MTDP Monitoring Reports which provide insights on the progress Government is making in meeting its strategic priorities and intended outcomes. While there is much to do towards realising our developmental goals, the Development Indicators highlight strategic opportunities to accelerate the implementation of reforms in areas which include:
Continuing progress in the infrastructure development pipeline, with 13 completed projects and over 80 under implementation across water, human settlements, roads, rail and ports;
Expanding access to basic services through new household connections to meet the growing demand – currently, over 80 percent of households in the country have access to electricity, water and sanitation;
Expanding access to healthcare and continuing the country’s upwards trend of improved health outcomes – South Africa is currently experiencing gains in life expectancy and reductions in maternal and child mortality;
Implementing policies and interventions which advance the rights and opportunities of women, youth and persons with disabilities;
Leveraging on South Africa’s international positioning and economic diplomacy through opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), BRICS, and other multilateral platforms.
Government’s message to business is simple: We are in this together. Government alone cannot drive the growth our country needs. The private sector’s capacity for innovation, capital mobilisation, and execution speed is indispensable. Likewise, a capable and accountable state is indispensable for creating the stability and predictability that business needs to thrive.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we move forward, I challenge all of us to:
- Use the Reform Tracker as a living instrument – a basis for constructive engagement in keeping each other accountable;
- Align our reform priorities with measurable economic and social outcomes; and
- Sustain the momentum of collaboration beyond today’s launch of the Reform Tracker
Distinguished Guests,
As the Department, we will continue to play our role as the custodian of planning, monitoring, evaluation and development across government, ensuring that reforms are not just announced, but implemented, measured, and refined.
We will continue to advance partnership between government, the private sector, civil society, organised labour, and all of society, as we seek to build a nation that works for all by driving inclusive growth, creating jobs, and strengthening the state’s capacity.
In conclusion, I commend BLSA for this initiative and reaffirm government’s commitment to work with you, hand in hand, to build a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient South Africa.
Let us make the Reform Tracker a symbol not only of accountability, but of the shared ambition that binds business and government together in service of our nation.
I thank you.
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