Where’s the economic recovery plan, Maimane asks Ramaphosa

While President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded the Presidency’s team for their dance moves in participating in Master KG’s hit song and challenge, Jerusalema, he appeared to have caught the eye of One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane, who quickly took to social media to get the president’s attention on some of the country’s critical issues.

In a tweet, Maimane noted the wave of dance challenges but sarcastically asked Ramaphosa for the economic recovery plan “challenge”.

He told The Citizen that the country was facing an economic challenge which needed action.

“Our country is facing an economic challenge. We need a plan to build an inclusive economy. We have focused on a number of key areas, such as ensuring that South Africa is a start-up nation for micro-entrepreneurs, stimulus in the minerals sector and value chain including, how to stimulate tourism and manufacturing.”

He suggests the country develop an energy plan for the region that is sustainable. If South Africa does not create a new economic model, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

“So we don’t need a dance challenge we need an economic plan.”

Mr @CyrilRamaphosa and @Tito_mboweni we have seen the dance challenge. Now we need to see the #EconomicRecoveryPlan challenge.

— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) September 25, 2020

Equally we don’t need more auditions for #DinnerAtSomizis we need to see the #EconomicRecoveryPlan, you can even put garlic on the cover page, but we have been waiting long enough.

— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) September 25, 2020

While the country paddles through the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy has taken a hard hit, with most industries, including the tourism industry, only seeing light at Level 1 of the lockdown.

Government is yet to table the country’s recovery plan, according to Maimane, which is expected to set out priorities in phases ensuring projected stability alongside massive healthcare response.

While Ramaphosa has indicated the existence of a plan, intended to get the country out of the Covid-19 slump, the plan is likely to have government’s severely constrained and high rising debt levels stretched even further.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga, noting Maimane’s point, said it had the necessary relevance in that the economy was very important especially navigating through the pandemic.

“Maimane has a point,” he said when asked if Maimane’s tweet had merit.

“The economy is still not in a good shape, and we need to attend to the serious issues regarding the country.”

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