By Mankone Ntsaba
THE 32 ministers in South Africas new government of national unity GNU are getting to grips with their portfolios and the reality is that urgent action is required in multiple areas to address economic and social challenges.
The Kagiso Trust, one of South Africas leading development agencies working for sustainable socio-economic change, is particularly invested in the future of basic education and agriculture, seeing that these as key areas for its mission to loosen the shackles of poverty that bind millions of citizens.
It so happens that these two ministries are now headed by members of the DA Siviwe Gwarube at basic education and John Steenhuisen at agriculture but it is to be hoped that the political complexion of all ministers in the GNU will be less significant than the energy, openness and commitment they bring to their jobs.
With that in mind, I have words of encouragement for Gwarube and Steenhuisen, and an offer of support and solidarity. They stem from the Kagiso Trusts strong conviction, developed over decades of developmental work in education and agriculture, that the sectors are repositories of immense goodwill and willingness to embrace transformation.
