The South African government responds to challenges through consultative forums based on collective governance and democratic centralism, including ANC conferences, community meetings, and parliamentary discussions. As a result, the government has implemented intervention programs to alleviate poverty and improve lives, such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme, National Development Plan, National Growth Path, National Skills Development Act, and Extended Public Works Programmes. However, unemployment remains high, particularly among disadvantaged groups, and the government must address needs while servicing IMF debt.

1.  The response of our government to challenges is
informed by discussions and consultative forums based
on the principle and concept of collective governance
and Democratic Centralism.
 These include, but are not limited to:
1.ANC National Conference
2.Community Imbizo
3.Integrated Development Programmes
4. Parliamentary forums

2.  As a result of these consultative activities
government has come up with intervention
programmes to respond to and to alleviate poverty
in order to improve the lives of our people.
 To mention just a few we can site:
1. Reconstruction and Development Programme
2. National Development Plan
3. National Growth Path
4. National Skills Development Act
5. Extended Public Works Programmes

3.  Trends in Employment and Unemployment Since
1994
 Notwithstanding the improved economic growth
performance in South Africa since the end of apartheid,
unemployment remains high
 and poses a significant social and economic policy
challenge. In 2004, the official rate of unemployment
stood at 26 percent of the labor force, roughly the same
as in 1994 (see Figure 3.1).1 Unemployment is
particularly concentrated among historically
disadvantaged groups and is higher among the rural,
female, uneducated, and young segments of the
population

4.  Sources: October Household Surveys; Labour
Force Surveys; and IMF staff calculations.
 Note: The expanded definition of
unemployment includes discouraged workers,
that is, those who have stopped looking for
work.

5.  However it is very clear that government has
responded positively and effectively when we look at
programmes such as:
 The National Health Insurance
 Social Grant
 Integrated employment programmes
 Rural Development Programmes

6.  The International Monitory Fund has, since its
inception been part of world’s economic
development.
 As a country we must come to terms with the fact
that we will not autonomously address the needs of
our people or respond appropriately while we still
have to service the IFM debt.
 It is now open secret that while governments and
economists understand that they must build strong
public service in order to build their economies, the
IMF wants that workforce to be reduced so countries
can be able to service the debt.

7.  The International Monitory Fund has, since its
inception been part of world’s economic
development.
 As a country we must come to terms with the fact
that we will not autonomously address the needs of
our people or respond appropriately while we still
have to service the IFM debt.
 It is now open secret that while governments and
economists understand that they must build strong
public service in order to build their economies, the
IMF wants that workforce to be reduced so countries
can be able to service the debt.