Ramaphosa Launches Phase 3 Partnership to Create One Million Jobs

President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the third phase of the Government Business Partnership for Growth and Jobs on August 20, 2026, in Sandton, Johannesburg. Moving beyond previous phases focused on stabilization and structural reform, Phase 3 targets annual GDP growth of over 3 percent and the creation of one million jobs by 2030.

The initiative is structured around three pillars: economic growth enablers including energy, transport, and logistics; new growth drivers such as mining, tourism, infrastructure, and agriculture; and confidence multipliers addressing crime, corruption, and youth employment. The government has committed to providing policy certainty and reliable infrastructure, while calling on businesses to expand production and invest in local skills. Ramaphosa emphasized that the partnership will use sector-specific work streams with measurable targets, noting that regulations hindering investment without a legitimate public purpose must be reviewed.

Ramaphosa highlighted recent milestones, including South Africa's removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list and 455 consecutive days without load-shedding, though he cautioned that the end of power outages does not mean energy reform is complete. Adrian Gore, Chairperson of Business Leadership South Africa, supported the initiative, stating that growth must exceed 3 percent to create net jobs. Detailed delivery plans and metrics for the partnership are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.