Dear Friend of the IRR,

Every election year is an important one, but 2024, with the end of the ANC's majority and the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), marks the beginning of a new era in South Africa.

Our polling found South Africans to be cautiously optimistic about what the next five years might mean, but so far the GNU has shown little appetite for the bold reforms this country needs.

The GNU must prove itself by making everyday life in South Africa significantly and tangibly better. The only way to do that is through rapid economic growth, which was the defining focus of our work this year.

Looking back on 2024

We are encouraged to see that many prominent government officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, and DA party leader John Steenhuisen, named economic growth a top priority.

To build the foundation of our pro-growth work, we published the first editions of our flagship Blueprint for Growth papers this year. This series, which can be read on our website and will be updated every year, recommends bold policy solutions that will help South Africa achieve rapid economic growth.

We also released nine short #WhatSACanBe papers that not only offer a dynamic program of action for the GNU but also form the foundation for social media content and campaigns that inspire South Africans to imagine what South Africa can be if good ideas triumph and good policies are implemented.

What lies ahead?

As the GNU works to prove itself, we will continue to take every opportunity to fight against the pro-poverty policies that are keeping South Africans poor, hungry, unemployed, and dependent on the state.

We will also continue to take every opportunity to fight for pro-growth policies that will give South Africans the dignity of being able to provide for themselves and their families.

In addition to updating our Blueprint for Growth series and continuing our #WhatSACanBe campaign work, we will develop more detailed policy guidelines for pro-growth parties in government, including practical, implementable alternatives to harmful policies like Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), National Health Insurance (NHI), and Expropriation Without Compensation (EWC).

Thank you!

Thank you for your support. It is through your generosity and compassion for your fellow South Africans that we can fight on your behalf for a freer, more prosperous country.

You can support us even further by forwarding this email to everyone you know who also believes in a free and prosperous South Africa and encouraging them to become a Friend of the IRR.

We at the IRR wish you and your family a wonderful festive season and a prosperous 2025.

Live Free. Prosper.