Cape Town - The economy is the government's biggest focus, President Jacob Zuma told MPs on Thursday.
Responding in the National Assembly to debate on his state of the nation address, he said the speech he delivered last week had outlined progress made "in bringing about a better life based on the 2009 electoral mandate".
This included education, health, rural development and land reform, fighting crime and creating decent work.
"We gave an account of what government had done in implementing its 2009 to 2014 programme of action.
"The economy is our biggest focal point, especially at this time of the global economic recession and slow economic growth, as outlined in [the address].
"As we strive to boost the competitiveness of our economy in a gloomy economic climate, we are encouraged by some recent reports."
He said a recent Grant Thornton report had stated that South Africa had maintained its position as a major leading African economy.
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