Quick facts on SoNA

Investing in education

Education remains a top priority for the next five years and government will continue to promote universal access to education by ensuring that all children between ages 7 and 15 are in school. Government also aims to increase number of Grade 12 learners going to university from 172 000 in 2013 to 250 000 in 2019.

Creating jobs

Government has set a target of creating one million jobs in the agriculture sector by 2030.

Government will provide comprehensive support to smallholder farmers by speeding up land reform and providing technical, infrastructural and financial support.

Support will be provided to communities to engage in food production and subsistence farming to promote food security, in line with the Fetsa Tlala food production programme.

Growth of tourism

Despite tough global trading conditions, South Africa’s tourism sector continued to show positive growth in 2013, reaching a record high of 9.6 million international tourist arrivals. Government has set a target to increase the number of foreign visitors to more than 15 million annually by 2017.

Infrastructure

Over the next three years, government will spend R847 billion on several infra- structure projects.

The construction of Mzimvubu Dam in the Eastern Cape will continue, as well as the raising of the wall of Clanwilliam Dam in the Western Cape. During the next five years the bulk of the construction work on Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will be completed.

Health

Government will work hard to increase life expectancy at birth from 60 years in 2012 to 63 years in 2019.

The campaign to reduce child and maternal mortality ratios will also continue. The success of the HIV and AIDS treatment and support programmes will also be built on by expanding the mass HIV prevention communication campaigns.