Overview
- President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile co-chaired the two-day retreat at the Cradle of Humankind, concluding on 3 November.
- Party leaders ratified the Terms of Reference for the GNU Clearing House to manage policy divergences and said the leaders’ forum will meet regularly.
- The forum prioritized urgent steps to address failing municipalities by equipping national and provincial authorities to intervene more effectively.
- Leaders reaffirmed the Medium Term Development Plan and set near-term actions on food security, youth skills and livelihoods, tackling gangsterism and organized crime, and improving oversight of state-owned enterprises.
- The meeting acknowledged strains during the 2025 budget process, received a briefing from the finance minister, and pledged more effective consultation, while separate reporting highlighted the retreat’s closed-door format and unnamed concerns about Ramaphosa’s standing.