Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya: Ministerial Strategic Planning Session

Honourable Minister,
Honourable Deputy Minister,
Director-General and Deputy Director-Generals,
Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of our Public Entities,
Esteemed representatives from the Presidency, Statistics South Africa, the World Bank, NEDLAC constituencies, GTAC, Audit and Risk Management Committees,
Distinguished facilitators, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

As we bring Day One of this Strategic Planning Session to a close, I rise to formally convey our collective appreciation and gratitude for the depth, honesty and strategic maturity that have characterised today's engagements.

Honourable Minister and Deputy Minister, allow me to begin by thanking you for the clear political leadership and strategic direction you set at the outset of this session. Your articulation of expectations has grounded our discussions firmly in accountability, service delivery and outcomes that matter to the people of South Africa, particularly the unemployed, the vulnerable and working families who rely on this Department to function with integrity and purpose.

I wish to acknowledge the Acting Director-General and the executive leadership of the Department for the candid overview of organisational performance. Such frank reflection is not a weakness; it is a strength. It is precisely this level of honesty that enables institutional renewal, reform and sustained improvement.

Our sincere appreciation goes to our social partners and external stakeholders from NEDLAC constituencies, Statistics South Africa, the Presidency, the DTIC, the World Bank and GTAC who provided objective, evidence-based and sometimes uncomfortable insights.

These perspectives have reinforced a central truth that employment creation, social protection and economic inclusion require coordinated action, shared accountability and decisive implementation.

We also extend our appreciation to the facilitators for ensuring disciplined, focused and solutions-oriented engagements. Today's discussions were not theoretical. They were grounded in lessons learnt, governance realities and practical reform pathways that must now inform our planning and execution.

Colleagues, today has confirmed that while the challenges confronting the labour market and our institutions are complex, they are not insurmountable. What is required of us is leadership that is deliberate, implementation that is relentless, and accountability that is non-negotiable.

As we adjourn and prepare for Day Two, let us carry forward the spirit of today's engagements, moving from reflection to firm commitments, from diagnosis to action, and from planning to delivery. Ultimately, the people of South Africa will judge us not by the quality of our deliberations, but by the impact of our decisions.

In closing, I wish to thank every participant for your time, expertise and continued commitment to public service. Safe travels, and we look forward to reconvening tomorrow with renewed focus, discipline and resolve.

Thank you.

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