Cape Town — President Cyril Ramaphosa met with ministers and senior business leaders on Tuesday, 27 January, to formally launch Phase Three of the Government-Business Partnership (GBP), with a shared commitment to placing economic growth at the centre of the partnership’s work in 2026.
The meeting reviewed progress achieved during Phase Two, during which significant gains were made in stabilising South Africa’s energy and logistics systems, contributing to improved investor sentiment by the end of 2025. Key developments include South Africa’s removal from the FATF grey list, a steady reduction in inflation toward the 3 per cent target, a successful sovereign Eurobond issuance, a stronger Rand, and an upgrade to the country’s sovereign credit rating by S&P — the first in more than two decades.
Phase Two also saw coordinated policy reforms improve operational performance, particularly at Eskom, while initiatives such as the Durban Pier 2 terminal concession and the opening of the rail network to private operators demonstrated growing momentum.
The partnership agreed that the central framework for Phase Three will be anchored in “Inclusive Growth, Jobs and Confidence”. In a statement, the GBP said: “In a rapidly changing global environment characterised by economic realignment, heightened competition for capital and increased uncertainty, the Partnership agreed that a disciplined focus on competitiveness and inclusive growth is essential. All actions under the Partnership will be assessed against their ability to grow the economy, support job creation and strengthen confidence.”
The partnership also highlighted the need to tackle crime and corruption, which remain key obstacles to investment and economic growth. Officials stressed that addressing organised crime, corruption, and weaknesses in the criminal justice system would be a central focus in 2026.
GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP COMMITS TO “INCLUSIVE GROWTH, JOBS AND CONFIDENCE” AS CENTRAL FRAMEWORK FOR PHASE THREE
President @CyrilRamaphosa today met with Ministers and senior business leaders under the Government Business Partnership, formally commencing Phase Three of…
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) January 27, 2026
Priority activities for Phase Three include support for government energy market reform, the launch of a competitive South African wholesale electricity market, grid expansion, and the publication of a roadmap for Eskom’s unbundling to establish an independent Transmission System Operator. Reforms in the transport and logistics sectors will also be accelerated to increase private sector participation, improve efficiency, and boost investment.
Youth employment interventions will build on prior successes, including the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which removed a bottleneck to international tourist arrivals and supported job creation.
President Ramaphosa said: “After two years of hard work, we can definitively say this partnership has been a success. While we have achieved much, there is much that we need to do. As this partnership evolves and as the focus of our work shifts, we remain firmly committed to acting together and with purpose to serve the needs of our country.”
Adrian Gore, Group CEO of Discovery and co-convener of the business delegation, added: “South Africa is turning the corner. We must act decisively to convert this momentum into investment and jobs. ‘Growth, Jobs, Confidence’ sits at the heart of our approach and needs to be the filter for every decision in 2026. If an action does not advance these objectives, it should not proceed. If it does, we should move quickly and back it fully. Business is fully committed to supporting this.”
The partnership emphasised that 2026 should represent a decisive turning point for South Africa’s economic trajectory, with a focus on execution and delivery across all priority areas to achieve lasting progress and shared prosperity.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
