The
National Planning Commission (NPC) under the leadership of its Chairperson,
Jeff Radebe, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
and its Deputy Chairperson, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, convened for the
third annual NPC Lekgotla held from 9 to 11 February 2018, at Kopanong
Conference Centre in Benoni.
The
Lekgotla, timed midway through the second term of the NPC, provided an
important opportunity for the Commission to review its work to date; take stock
of progress made in the implementation of the National Development Plan: Vision
2030 (NDP) by Government and other sectors of society; reflect on the key
challenges facing the country that have impacted on the implementation of the
NDP, and to make recommendations that would urgently help get the delivery of
the NDP back on track.
The
Commission is deeply concerned that the trends pertaining to key objectives of
the NDP, namely, to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment have seen a
backward slide. Having registered GDP growth rates of average 3% between 2010
and 2013, the economy is currently in a low growth trap, sitting at average GDP
growth of 1% since then. The result is that poverty rates have increased from
36.4% in 2011 to 40% by 2015; unemployment has increased to 27.7% as of the 3rd
quarter of 2017, and inequality remains high.
“There
is an urgent imperative to turn around the situation. The immediate priority is
to restore confidence which will enable us to undertake specific measures to
reignite economic growth. In this regard, raising the level of investment is
critical, and at World Economic Forum in Davos we succeeded to generate renewed
investor interest in our economy”,
said Minister Radebe.
Since
the appointment of this second Commission in September 2015, the NPC has
undertaken various engagements within and outside Government on pathways and
challenges to facilitate implementing the NDP, pursuant to our mandate. The
Lekgotla resolved to spend the remaining two and half years of our five-year
term towards restoring confidence in and ownership of the NDP and promoting
accelerated implementation to
address poverty and social inequalites. These priorities are essential for
social cohesion and human development
To
this end the Lekgotla made the following key decisions:
On the Economy:
The NPC reflected on the current political
economy and the economic crossroad facing the country and the impacts on the
lives of the poorest people. This has been identified as the single most
important challenge for South Africa. We have been working on a series of
research papers on pathways out of the current economic slump. These papers
will shortly be released for public and stakeholder engagement. The first set
of papers deal with short-term actions to revitalise the economy, SMME
development and on Energy and Water Security
On Spatial Planning:
The NPC received a briefing on the status of
the development of the National Spatial Development Framework to redress the
legacy of apartheid spatial injustice and promote equitable spatial development
through targeted investment and other measures. We resolved that the
finalisation of this Framework is urgent and should be integral in the
legislation currently under development by the Department of Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation aimed at strengthening coordinated planning and
implementation across the whole of government.
On Township and Rural
Economies:
We received a briefing on the outcomes of
research and dialogues on the transformation of Township and Rural economies,
with a particular focus on the promotion of small and medium-sized businesses
and black-owned enterprises. We remain deeply concerned that the
marginalisation of small, medium-sized and black-owned enterprises continues,
due to various barriers and the persisting high levels of concentration in the
economy. Government SMME policies are not achieving the desired transformative
impact especially as a pathway out of unemployment and poverty. We agreed
to undertake further engagements with relevant stakeholders on the specific
recommendations emerging from the research and dialogues. In particular, we
plan to engage with Development Finance Institutions (DFI’s) about their role
and mandate in stimulating development.
On Crime, Corruption, and State Capture:
The
NPC reflected on the current developments with regard to allegations of
criminality of top members of the police force, as well as the ongoing exposure
of acts of corruption in the public and private sectors. We welcome the
establishment of the Commission of Enquiry into State Capture. State Capture,
Crime and Corruption are symptomatic of a muddled leadership and a weak
developmental State. The NPC considers strong leadership and a capable state as
critical preconditions for the proper implementation of the NDP. We agreed to
request an opportunity to make representations to the Commission on State
Capture with a view to ensuring that the outcome restores the country back on
the path that the NDP has set for us. We recommend that Government also adopts
a similar standard of transparency in the establishment of the Commission as
regard the appointment to top positions in key law enforcement agencies such as
the National Directorate of Priority Prosecutions and the South African Police
Service and others.
On Prioritising Implementation of the NDP
Furthermore,
to provide direction and impetus in the implementation of the NDP, the NPC
identified 54 priorities, drawn from each of the chapters of the Plan, which we
recommend for adoption by Government and all stakeholders and actors in the
private sector and society at large. These priorities were identified on the
basis of their impact on the NDP’s apex targets of reducing of unemployment,
poverty and inequality, and we believe that they will ensure that the country
makes the required progress towards achieving the goals of the Plan. The
specific performance indicators for each of the 54 priorities will enable
improved monitoring of implementation of the NDP across all sectors. These
indicators will be measured and assessed periodically to assess progress in the
implementation. As Government transitions into the next cycle of medium-term
planning for the country, we will be engaging on these matters with leadership
in the Executive, in particular with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and
Evaluation, and other key stakeholders within and outside Government.
We
also received a briefing by the Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection
(MISTRA) in partnership with University of South Africa on their project on
South Africa’s Scenarios to the year 2030 initiative, premised on the NDP:
Vision 2030. The NPC considers this initiative to be aligned to our work and we
have agreed to collaborate with the project going forward.
The
Commission had a productive meeting with concrete and practical outcomes which
will focus our work over the next two years. The NPC will carry out its work
through active stakeholder engagements and wider and enhanced platforms of
communication.
Enquiries:
Mr. Tshediso Matona, Secretary of National Planning, on Tshediso@dpme.gov.za / mobile 082 376
0448
Issued
by: Commissioner Tasneem Essop on behalf of the National Planning Commission
13
February 2018