Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi said on Monday that African countries must build capable State institutions to deal with global economic shocks.
He was speaking at the 2026 Economic Governance School programme in Centurion, according to SAnews. Buthelezi said changes in world trade, politics, technology and climate affect the cost of living, public finances, jobs and basic services.
“Our citizens do not experience government through policy documents. They experience it through the availability of water, reliable electricity, functioning roads, accessible healthcare, quality education, employment opportunities and the responsiveness of public institutions,” he said.
The Minister said South Africa faces economic limits, with a revised growth projection of 1.2% for 2026. He said the country needs steady work by its institutions, not only new policy announcements.
He said the theme of this year’s school asks a hard question about the readiness of government bodies.
“Do our institutions possess the leadership, institutional competence and administrative capability to respond effectively to a changing world while delivering on the developmental aspirations of our people,” Buthelezi said.
According to the Minister, the seventh administration’s programme of action rests on three priorities. These are growing the economy and creating jobs, cutting poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical State.
Buthelezi said building a capable State is not a separate goal from growing the economy. He said the public service should be used as a tool to turn plans into action.
He named areas such as infrastructure, revenue collection, industrial development and digital change. He also said government must adapt to new risks from world politics, climate change and artificial intelligence.
“Our institutions must become more anticipatory, responsive and capable of adjusting to emerging circumstances without losing sight of long-term developmental objectives,” he said.
The Minister called for all parts of government and society to work together on hard development problems.
The Economic Governance School started in 2020. It brings together senior public officials from several African countries to share ideas on running economies. SAnews reported that the programme has recorded 272 participant attendances.
The programme has also grown into joint work between two or three countries at a time. Buthelezi said Africa’s problems cannot be solved by each country acting alone.
“Our economies are interconnected, our vulnerabilities increasingly shared, and our opportunities considerably greater when pursued through regional cooperation,” he said.
Buthelezi thanked the National School of Government, partners, participating countries, experts and delegates for their support.
Over the next few days, the school will look at the green economy, industrialisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area. Other topics include revenue collection, digital change, and improving State capability through innovation and productivity.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SAnews.gov.za. Image: GCIS via SAnews.gov.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.