It is crucial for government to adopt policies that will support higher public and private investment while stabilising debt and reducing overall fiscal risks.

I would plead with you to ensure that funds are disbursed from Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA) to crime fighting units such as the SIU and NPA that are struggling with reduced budgets. They must be fully equipped and resourced.

One only has to look at the deterioration of our SOEs, to realise that merit, not race-based policies, is what is needed to grow our industrial base, not a replica of apartheid job segregation laws

It is the central role of government to protect its citizens, yet people do not feel safe in their homes, at work and in public places, and our communities are ravaged by crime, drug abuse and gender-based violence.

Our economy is groaning under the strain of poor road maintenance, rail degradation and bottlenecks at our ports as witnessed at Durban Harbour last year. The deterioration of our road and rail network has a negative impact on the safety and punctuality of our workforce/citizens and serves as a disincentive for foreign and domestic investment.

Aggressive cuts to social spending due to government debt, corruption, fraud and maladministration are a significant blow to the quality education of millions of poor and low-income households.

It is time for decisive action to ensure that our troops are equipped with the tools they need to succeed and survive in their mission in the DRC or bring them home.