On March 17th , 2025, South Africa’s leaders from government, business, and the early childhood learning sector gathered at the Bana Pele Leadership Summit to develop a ECD roadmap to universal access by 2030. The event was co-convened by the Minister of Basic Education, Ms. Siviwe Gwarube and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA). The Summit resulted in concrete commitments to strengthen public-private partnerships through social compacts, increase sector resourcing, and ensure that every child in South Africa receives a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
Mr Cyril Ramaphosa
His Excellency
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address emphasising the urgency of this mission: “We’ve seen time and time again how South Africa excels when we come together. We have consistently shown that we can solve difficult problems when we unite for a common cause. We have an opportunity to rethink and restructure the entire ECD landscape, making it more effective, more inclusive, and more impactful than ever before.”
Siviwe Gwarube
Minister of Basic Education
Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, highlighted the role of government in ensuring execution: “By 2030, we want every child in South Africa to have access to quality early learning. But let me be clear—this is not about doing more of the same. It’s not just about more funding or more resources in a system that’s already under strain. This is about transformation. Impact. Results. It’s about fundamentally reshaping how we deliver early learning so that no child is left behind.”
Luleko Nyembezi
BLSA Chairman
Nonkululeko Nyembezi, BLSA Chairman, reinforced this message: "The business of business is not just business. It is also about building a sustainable future. To do that, we need to invest in children today. For too long, ECD investment has been uncoordinated, limiting its impact. Now, with the DBE’s leadership, we finally have a national investment plan to get behind."
Business leaders, meanwhile, acknowledged that investing in ECD is not just a social good, but a critical economic strategy that benefits the private sector as much as society.
Key Outcomes & Commitments from the Summit:
- Adoption of the 2030 Bana Pele roadmap
- Strengthening public-private partnerships
- Scaling ECD infrastructure investment
- Improved accountability and governance
The Bana Pele Leadership Summit laid the foundation for a national ECD social compact, built on shared responsibility and collective action across all sectors. Over the next 12 months, a joint task force comprising government, business, donors and social partners will develop a comprehensive resourcing plan to accelerate progress toward universal access.
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