Fellow South Africans,
We are nearing the end of another momentous year in the history of our young democracy.
This year has taken us closer to the achievement of a non-racial, non-sexist, democraticSouth Africa in which all of us, black and white, can live in peace, harmony and prosperity.
This is a time when we should collectively reflect on the progress made during the year andcommit ourselves further to address the challenges that face our country and its people.
We do so with a view to consolidating the gains we have thus far made while sparing neitherstrength nor effort in confronting the challenges facing our country, which are poverty,unemployment and inequality.
In a difficult global economic environment, we have been working very hard to strengthenour economy through investment in infrastructure, providing support to key industrial sectors,and developing our agricultural value chain.
Working together, we have stabilised the supply of electricity to our homes, to our schools,hospitals, factories and businesses.
Working together again with our key role players in labour, business, communities andgovernment, we have made significant progress towards the introduction of a national minimumwage as one of the key mechanisms that will enable us to reduce income inequality.
These deliberations have been part of a broader process among all social partners to improvethe labour relations environment in our country, which we expect to complete in the new year.
President Jacob Zuma has led an important engagement with major stakeholders in addressingkey issues arising from students’ protests around the cost of higher education.
We are confident that working together with students organisations and management we willfind long-term solutions to all these challenges.
Working together as South Africans, we will be able to realise the call that was made in theFreedom Charter for higher education and technical training to be open to all South Africans.
It is a matter of concern that largely peaceful protest has on occasion been marred by thedestruction of critical property of schools, libraries, clinics and damage to other communityinfrastructure.
As a society, we need to remain resolute in our conviction that in a democratic society whichwe are, protest must take place within the framework of the law.
We must work together to protect these community structures, which are really assets of ourpeople, for the benefit of future generations.
As part of the African Union, we continue to work within the framework of Agenda 2063 toensure the political and economic renewal of our continent based on good political andeconomic governance.
Working together with sister countries in SADC, we have continued to consolidate regionalintegration efforts, which will add momentum towards building united, prosperous and betterAfrica.
Inspired by the vision of providing African solutions to African problems, we remain part ofefforts by SADC, the African Union, regional economic communities and indeed the UN to helpbring peace and stability in those countries that are still afflicted by conflict. These countriesinclude the Kingdom of Lesotho, Burundi and South Sudan.
As part of the family of nations and working together with like-minded countries, we havepersisted in our efforts to bring about a fundamental transformation of the United Nationsand other institutions of global governance.
Our country participated at the highest level in the COP 21 Climate Change Conference in Paris.
We have begun to feel the effects of climate change, which is impacting on security of ourwater, food security and economic development.
We welcome every resolution taken by the international community to limit the effects ofclimate change on humanity as a whole and developing countries in particular.
South Africa was honoured to recently host the first Forum for China-Africa Cooperation, whichwas held on our soil as well as the African Union Summit earlier this year.
The hosting of events of these magnitudes, coupled with the world-class infrastructure at ourdisposal, is an expression of the confidence that the world has placed in our country and itspeople.
We take this opportunity to thank you all for your contributions in making South Africa abetter place for all who live in it.
We extend our thoughts and prayers to those families who lost loved ones during the year. Weshare in your pain and in your sorrow.
We salute our men and women in uniform who toil day and night to assure us of peace andsecurity in our homes and communities.
We thank our national sporting teams for continuing to proudly hoist our national flag ininternational sporting events.
Your contribution to nation-building and social cohesion is deeply appreciated.
As we embark on journeys to our various destinations, let us ensure we observe the rules ofthe road. Arrive alive must be a way of life for all South Africans.
I thank you.