KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE
HONOURABLE JEFF RADEBE, MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION AND
CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION; ON THE OCCASION
OF THE NDP ANNUAL LECTURE; Z.K. MATTHEWS HALL, UNISA, PRETORIA
THE
NDP FIVE YEARS ON: LESSONS LEARNT, EMERGING CHALLENGES AND ENHANCING
IMPLEMENTATION
Programme
Director, Dr Somadoda Fikeni
Principal
and Vice Chancellor of UNISA, Prof
Mandla Makhanya
Director
of UNISA School of Governance, Prof
Harry Nengwekhulu
University Management and
Academics present
Commissioners
from the National Planning Commission
Members of the Diplomatic
Corps
Students
from various campuses
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. INTRODUCTION
I
consider it a great honour and it gives me immense pleasure to present this Annual
National Development Plan lecture here today. Thank you for having me. This is of
course the very week that marks the 5th Anniversary of the adoption
of the National Development Plan, Vision 2030 (NDP). On Tuesday, 12 September
2017 we also had the distinct pleasure, in the company of National Planning
Commissioners together with President Jacob Zuma, to share some of the progress
and achievements, since the coming into existence of South Africa’s first ever National
Development Plan.
This
anniversary of the NDP takes place at a very special time in the South African
calendar. It happens in Heritage Month under the
theme, “The Year of OR Tambo: Celebrating Our Liberation Heritage”.
The 2017 Heritage Month theme contributes to the revival of the
political and social-cultural consciousness across the country especially as
regards the liberation struggle narrative. It invokes an expanded discussion on
issues related to de-colonisation and black consciousness, democracy and
economic transformation. The theme also reminds us to assert our shared
identity as Africans and embrace each other's culture and heritage. This
is a period when, we as the South African family, ordinarily, come together, in
our numbers, and across the divides, to celebrate our “unity in diversity”.
This
must also be the time that each one of us should be proud to call ourselves
South African. As a nation, we should pause again to ask, collectively, how do
we improve our efforts in working for ‘’unity in action’’? For, it is in
concerted, conscious and collective ‘unity in action’ and of purpose that we desire,
again. Working together, we can and must cherish the common vision of a united,
better and more prosperous society.
The
5th Anniversary of the NDP, also coincided with the 40th
anniversary of the tragic passing of one of our pre-eminent torch bearers of
‘’unity in struggle’ Steve Bantu Biko. Biko, who had a great influence on my
personal life, as an avid member of the Black Consciousness Movement, died at
the brutal hands of the apartheid security police on 12 September 1977. We therefore
must have the conversation, again and again, about the progress of our
democracy and its transformation as we must too remember Biko and salute him for
these inspirational words:
“It is better to die
for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.”
Indeed,
these profound words so stunningly expresses the thoughts and the ideals for
which Biko stood. And they remain very much alive today. And it is in the unity
of that struggle, in the battle of ideas, that Biko so majestically articulated
that our true worth as a nation, as South Africa, will become timeless if we
can ensure that our ideas, great as they are, get implemented, actioned
and executed. It is purposeful ACTION, IMPACT and IMPLEMENTATION of our NDP
that we require now, more urgently than ever before.
It
is our responsibility, as a nation, to ensure that Steve Biko and other martyrs
of our liberation struggle like Robert Sobukwe, Solomon Mahlangu, Chris Hani, OR
Tambo and Tata Madiba and many others, did not struggle nor die in vain. History
will judge us harshly. We simply have to up
the ante. We must honour their unselfish sacrifices, even if for them, that
meant giving everything, including the ultimate sacrifice - their lives -so
that we may taste the fruits of freedom and justice. We cannot defer their
aspirations, not now and not any longer. For, it was in those aspirations and dreams
that they planted the seeds of hopes of all of us. Thus, it is, that we must tread carefully as leaders too – for we
should not dare to tread on the dreams of our people. We must forge ahead and deliver on the mandate our
people gave us and bring about the necessary step change in the socio-economic
conditions of our people. The National Development Plan, Vision 2030 serves as
that compass that will guide us to a more prosperous South Africa.
As
I reflect on the lessons learnt, the emerging challenges encountered and how we
may enhance better implementation of the NDP, I will call on all of us here and
across the length and breadth of South Africa-let us join hands again to ensure
the success of the NDP. The NDP belongs to all of us , and so it behoves all of
us to take charge, in our respective spheres of influence, to start a new
season of hope, and to let the NDP actions and objectives blossom across our
country. This is how we can demonstrate that the NDP is making a difference in our
people’s lives.
Our success comes not when things
always go well for us, but it comes too when we are really tested. We are
taking some big knocks, some deep disappointments and facing some stern
challenges. Only if we have been in the deepest valleys can we ever know how
magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain tops?
Honored
guests, yes Biko did say “It is better
to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.” But,
let me remind ourselves, Biko also said: “In a bid for change, we have to take
off our coats, be prepared to lose our comfort and security, our positions of
prestige, and our families... A struggle without casualties is no struggle”.
So,
today, as I stand here in front of you, I call for a renewed sense of urgency in regard to
implementing the NDP. It is through meaningful
collaboration, tireless efforts and relentless tenacity that we will keep alive
our ideas and our aspirations, as articulated in the NDP, and which must be
implemented.
The
NDP places a focus on youth development and the role of women. These accord with the
national imperatives of promoting youth development and gender equity in the
broader society.
2. IMPLEMENTING
THE NDP
The
NDP rests on the following six pillars: mobilisation of all South Africans,
active engagement of citizens in their own development, expansion of the
economy and making growth inclusive, building of key capabilities - human,
physical and institutional; building a capable and developmental state and
fostering strong leadership throughout society.
The 5th anniversary of the NDP takes place shortly after
the release of the report that shows that our economy grew by 2.5% in the last
quarter, indicating that we are out of the technical recession. This is very encouraging
and should reassure us that if we continue to focus the right levers in the
economy, provide the necessary responsive leadership and support critical
imperatives it certainly can help us reignite growth. We will consequently reap
the economic benefits for all of our people. Our economy is stable and remains
favorable for foreign and domestic investment as we continue to strive to
improve the ease of doing business in South Africa.
Yet, our optimism should not blind us to the challenges
facing us namely: slow economic growth, rising government debt, and poor
performance by some State Owned Companies and Enterprises. Then there are the
challenges related to corruption. This must be dealt with decisively and
swiftly.
Most recently, Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) released
figures indicating that a large percentage of our population is still in the
clutches of poverty and that the real victims are our vulnerable groups — the
youth, women and the elderly. Women are stuck at the bottom of the hierarchy in
the socio-economic scales. This needs resolution- it calls for serious
introspection and concerted efforts to tackle the scourge of poverty,
inequality and unemployment. Nobody made a greater mistake
than those who did nothing because they could do only a little!
3. THE
NDP AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MTSF
One
of the key instruments that have been developed to monitor, track and evaluate the
implementation of the NDP is the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) for
2014 – 2019. The MTSF prioritised 14 Outcomes as a way of measuring our current
performance against our long-term goals.
The Department Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME)
recently completed the Mid-Term Review of the MTSF and this document will be availed
in the public domain soon. One of the challenging areas that the review points
out is that government monitors too many outcomes. In order to be more
impactful in our strategies we need to reduce our scope and integrate our
initiatives and targeted interventions. The review provides clear lines of
sight into the areas that need improvement to achieve our vision for 2030.
4. THE
MANDATE PAPER
Honored
Guests, let me assure you that we are working exceedingly hard to implement the
NDP. The Mandate Paper,
initiated by the National Planning Commission, was approved by Cabinet in
August 2017. This Mandate Paper is one such example of how seriously we as the
NPC take our tasks and the fruits of our efforts.
Cabinet identified the need to strengthen the alignment of
the South African Budget, the MTSF and the NDP, and for budget prioritisation.
DPME was instructed to develop, on an annual basis, the Mandate Paper to guide
the budget process for 2018, to ensure a focused implementation of Government’s
plans.
The
Mandate Paper 2017 identified the priorities of Higher Education, Social
Security and Job creation. The ANC led Government on the 16th of
August 2017 concluded an important step in the furtherance of the objectives of
the NDP through our budget reform programme. This is the approval of the
Mandate Paper for 2018, which serves as the Budget Prioritisation Framework.
The
need for the corrective and structural intervention such as the Mandate Paper
is to enhance the precision and targeting of budget allocation to NDP
objectives through the identification annually of a set of priorities,
reflective of objective assessment and conditions at the time. The Mandate
Paper therefore allows the MTEF Budget to be much more agile and response
instruments of resource allocation to deal with both parameters of the
expenditure and revenue generation.
The
Mandate Paper is an addition to our planning tools to ensure effective
prioritisation and ensure that resource allocation supports implementation of
the NDP, within the prevailing socio-economic context and fiscal framework. The
Mandate Paper process precedes and guides the budget process. The budget processes
will continue to be managed by the National Treasury in terms of the Public
Finance Management Act.
The
Mandate Paper is an instrument for budget prioritisation, and the process
through which it is developed, will be strengthened as part of the process of
institutionalizing planning, which includes the introduction of legislation.
Next Year and in the future the Mandate Paper will be completed earlier in the
planning cycle by the end of April each year, to guide all State Institutions
in developing their budget proposals for the following financial year.
We
are also exploring new, effective and better avenues for socio-economic
development in our country as we implement the NDP.
5. YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT
The NDP takes a futuristic perspective in
its approach, as it outlines our envisaged development trajectory in the
journey towards 2030. It singles out the youth as the major catalysts in
boosting economic growth. It puts youth empowerment at the epicenter of
development strategies. The youth are therefore at the core of South Africa’s
development agenda.
It
is important to note that the scourge of unemployment is not a government
problem alone. It is a societal problem. Youth development is therefore a matter
of national importance. To ignore the plight of youth will be a major risk in
the socio-economic condition of our country.
The DPME has initiated the National Youth
Development Ambassador Programme to mobilise young South Africans to be active
role-players in economic growth. As government, our mission is to transform the
economic the landscape and make it more inclusive and address the challenges of
poverty, unemployment and inequality.
We have recently initiated the NDP
Ambassador Programme, which is premised on promoting youth entrepreneurship to
boost economic growth, increase employment, and reduce poverty and inequality.
We intend to work with vibrant young people who are proud to serve the nation
and are between the ages of 18 – 35. The selected contingent of young people
must be committed individuals who are prepared to drive change in our society.
The NDP brand ambassador programme is an endeavor
aimed at providing a platform for young people to share ideas that will take
South Africa forward. This is a very important venture to ensure that the youth
are self-sufficient. The youth of today are the ones who will witness the
fruition of our Vision 2030. They must be the key drivers of NDP programmes
today. When we invest in youth, we invest in the future of our country.
Future projections indicate that an estimated 65% of children entering
primary school today will most likely work in roles that do not yet exist. We must expose the youth to as wide a variety of
technological innovations as possible. Any
initiative that seeks to empower the youth is an investment towards the future
of our country.
6. ICT
The ICT Industry is one of the most crucial elements in the realisation
of the objectives of the NDP. Internet access and broadband spectrum is the
lifeblood of innovation, entrepreneurship and opportunity. We
must position South Africa and the African continent as a global leader in the
development and use of information and communication technologies for
socio-economic development.
Progressive
nations all across the globe enhance their chances of prosperity through
investment in new ideas, new innovations and new opportunities. Young people
must be given opportunities to explore their talents and unleash their creative
potential. We need innovative young entrepreneurs who will play a meaningful
role in the renewal of our economy. Entrepreneurship is a fundamental endeavor
for economic emancipation especially in our rapidly changing industrial
landscape.
One of the ways in which we can
effectively empower the youth is by establishing a nexus between government,
business and civil society organisations to combat youth unemployment. We must
work together to provide skills development opportunities through training,
internships and mentorship for young graduates and budding entrepreneurs. This
is how we can lay a solid foundation for rapid and inclusive economic growth in
our country.
7. WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT
Women
empowerment is one of the fundamental areas in the transformation of our
society. We have since 1994 witnessed the increasing proportion of women in
national and provincial legislatures. To date, 42% of all parliamentarians were
women at the time, still eight percentage points short of the 50% target.
The
percentage of women in legislative bodies has improved from 38.4% in 2011 to
41.2% in 2015. The Gender Inequality Index reflects gender-based inequalities
in three dimensions improved from 0.462 to 0.394 representing a 14.7% progress.
However, women still make up a large percentage of
the poor; particularly in rural areas. The NDP takes gender – along with race
and geographic location – into account, proposing a range of measures to
advance women’s equality. In summary, the recommendations in the NDP are as
follows:
• Public
employment should be expanded to provide work for the unemployed, with specific
focus on youth and women.
• The
transformation of the economy should involve the active participation and
empowerment of women.
• Social,
cultural, religious and educational barriers to women entering the job market
should be addressed. Concrete measures should be put in place and the results
should be evaluated overtime. Access to safe drinking water, electricity and
quality early childhood education, for example, could free women from doing
unpaid work and help them seek jobs.
• By
2030, people living in South Africa should have no fear of crime, Women,
children and those who are vulnerable should feel protected.
• Security
of tenure should be created for communal farmers, especially women.
• Coverage
of antiretroviral treatment to all HIV-positive persons requiring such drugs
should be expanded, alongside treatment of high-risk HIV-negative persons.
Effective microbicides should be offered routinely to all women 16 years and
older
• The country needs sustained campaigns that focus on
changing attitudes and behaviour in relation to racist, homophobic and xenophobic
tendencies. It needs to strengthen existing campaigns for non-racialism and
gender equity, and against gender violence.
• The Commission for Gender Equality and the Ministry of
Women should develop joint targets, indicators and timelines for monitoring and
evaluating progress towards gender equality. These must be realistic, and
should be accomplished through proper gender mainstreaming in departments. The
government must address gaps and weaknesses in legislation.
• Local
government should include more women at representative level, as well as in
shaping budgetary priorities. Women are frequently marginalised in local
politics and excluded from decision-making processes. Women’s participation in
integrated development planning is uneven.
• All vulnerable groups including women, children, rural
communities, gay and lesbian people and African immigrants should enjoy equal
protection and their vulnerability should be addressed through effective and
coordinated responses by the police, business, community and civil society (see
chapter 12 for details).
• The fostering of Constitutional values though schools
and the media should help create a tolerant and gender-sensitive South Africa.
These institutions should empower people to challenge prejudice and
discriminatory practices.
• Social, cultural, religious and educational barriers
for women to enter the job market should be addressed. Concrete measures should
be put in place to address these barriers and the results should be evaluated
over time. Improved access to safe drinking water, electricity and quality
early childhood education, could reduce the burden of domestic work and so make
it easier for women to seek job opportunities.
8. HIGHLIGHTING
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NDP
Honourable
Guests, it is now five years since the plan was adopted and I am proud to say
the NDP is yielding positive results. The DPME produces periodic reports that
show that we are making progress despite the challenges in certain areas. These
reports help us to gouge the progress and identify new priorities and areas
that need special focus. At this stage, let me highlight some of the
achievements of the NDP across the various sectors.
Through the implementation of
Operation Phakisa, we have
developed very specific interventions in the Oceans Economy, Health, Education,
Mining and Agriculture sectors. Operation Phakisa programmes in Ocean Economy,
have since 2014 unlocked R7 billion in investments and created 6 903 jobs.
One of the achievements is the
establishment of the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer in the National
Treasury. The Employment Tax Incentive Act aimed at helping young people enter
the labour market was passed by Parliament in 2013 and implementation began
this year.
We are implementing incentives and support services for
investors through our Special Economic Zones (SEZs) programme. As part of the
suite of SEZs, the six Industrial Development Zones (IDZs) established between
2002 - 2014, have attracted about 59 investors with an investment value of more
than R10.7 billion.
There
are yet more examples:
- 724 430 households have been
connected to grid since 2014 (58% of 2019 target of 1.25 million) and 52 778 households
connected to non-grid (50% of 2019 target of 105 000 households).
- Over 1 million households
given access to refuse removal between 2013 and 2016 against the 2019 target of
1.3 million households (General Household Survey).
- 1.12 million Households were given
access to decent sanitation since 2014 (45% of 2019 target).
- 305 00 households have also
been given access to a reliable water service since 2014 (12% of 2019 target of
2.3 million).
- Sustainable human settlements
and improved quality of household life has resulted in 331 000 housing units
delivered during 2014-2016.
- 3 455 schools have been connected
to the internet and received devices through Operation Phakisa ICT.
- The matric pass rate improved
to 72, 5% in 2016, up from 70, 7% in 2015.Bachelor passes increased to
162 374 in 2016 from 150 752 in 2014.
- Youth have also benefitted on
the expansion of access to post school training opportunities, provision of
NSFAS funding and completion of three more TVET colleges.
- Tourism’s contribution to the
country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown from R372bn in 2014 to R375bn
in 2015, tourist arrivals figures went up by about 50% from 8.9m to 29.2m.
Total tourist foreign direct spend rose
from R67.9 billion to R189.2 billion.
- Life Expectancy increased by 6
years and reached 63.3 years in 2015. Population-based Maternal Mortality Ratio
has decreased from 158 deaths per 100 000 in 2015 to 154/100, 00 live births in
2014. Institutional maternal
mortality ratio has decreased to 138 per 100,000. Child Mortality Rate (Under
5) has improved from 41 deaths / 1 000 live births in 2014 to 37 / 1 000 live
births in 2016. Over 3.7 million people living with HIV receiving lifelong
Antiretroviral Therapy.
9. JOINING
HANDS
I
return to my call for all of us to join hands again.
It
is evident that there are some pockets of excellence in the performance of
government against the NDP 2030 targets. Overall progress towards impact
indicators during 2014/15-2016/17 reflects a need to accelerate progress during
2017/18 -2018/19.
South
Africa must intensify the national dialogue to seek common solutions and
concrete actions to deal with slow growth and poverty through a partnership
with business, organised labour and all stakeholders who share a commitment to
ensuring inclusive growth. For our growth strategies to be fully effective we
need the support and direct involvement of business, labour and civil society.
Academia,
including UNISA, must also take up the cudgels. You have a role to play. Engage
us; lets collaborate meaningfully over the next 5 years to ensure we do not
tread on the hopes and dreams of our people?
I strongly believe that young people
should be at the forefront of fundamental change in society. The future of this
country is in their hands. It is our local innovators and entrepreneurs who
will ultimately create the millions of jobs that we need to realise an
inclusive economy. Every government and business programme should have a
special focus on youth development.
We must invest in skills development so that we can
produce young men and women who will become exceptional innovators and make a
meaningful contribution to economic growth. Let us
explore ways in which government, youth and business can collaborate in
creating jobs that are required to grow an inclusive economy as envisaged in
the NDP.
10. ON LEADERSHIP
Yes, I want to talk about leadership. And if we have ever
needed it, it is now! Our heroes, like Biko - these were the cadres who fought
and died for our freedom so that we may get to the “seats at the table”. Yet,
now that we have those seats, now that we have pulled them up to the nation’s
table, we dish ourselves generous slices of “pap and vleis” - some of us, even
have second rounds? And not to mention the Mqombothi…
Where are the leaders; are they to be found anywhere? The
answer is yes - and in this room. You are the leaders today. You are the ones we have been waiting for. You
are the ones upon whose shoulders rejuvenation, recovery and rebirth are
foisted.
The bad news – it is a heavy burden. The good news? We can
do it – for we have done it before, and I have every conviction that we are
tough and brave enough to do it again.
Government, the entrepreneurs, the youth, the women, the
business sector - the CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, and all the other C’s, yes, including
Chancellors and Vice Chancellors of Universities-we can do it again.
But what does leadership look like in our world, in 2030?
- We will not lead marches - we
will lead productive teams at work.
- We will to fight for the right
to vote - but we have to learn to use it well.
- We probably will not have to
go to jail in our number - but we must start paying attention to who will be
going there.
So, right now, we who are leaders must ask - what can we do
to help? Our country, our provinces, our cities and our communities - what
needs fixing and what are we going to do to fix it?
I know we can work this out! The NDP Diagnostic gave us the
insights. The PLAN now takes us to that better place, in 2030. We are some of
the most resilient, most insightful
people on this continent. What would happen to our communities if all this
talent, genius and energy became intent, focused on improving their lot?
What with all we know, and can do, could we make happen, by
channeling just some of the energy we expend on surviving as individuals into
thriving as communities? So how about if…
- we stopped asking, ‘who
caused this mess?’ and wishing they would fix it, and started doing whatever it
takes to get where we need to be?
- If…we ceased worrying why
nobody cares and hoping somebody would, and started acting like we care about
ourselves and doing something about it?
- If..we quit dwelling on
yesterday and sleep walking dejectedly through today, and started dealing with
reality before it does a miss on us?
- I believe in our communities. I believe in us. We are and must be the agents of change.
11. CONCLUSION
I
want to remind us all again: Honored
Guests - The country we seek to build by 2030 is just, fair, prosperous and
equitable. Yes, we may not be able to change the entire world around us,
but at least, we can start, here at UNISA, by trying with the circles of virtue
within our reach, by becoming an active and participatory citizenry, wherever
we find ourselves.
Again, I submit to you, the NDP envisions
a South Africa where opportunity is determined not by birth, but by ability,
education and hard work.
As
we reflect in this, our Heritage Month-let’s agree to build:
- A country with a health system
that provides quality care to all, has raised life expectancy to at least 70
years, has produced a young generation largely free of HIV infection and has
dramatically reduced infant mortality.
- A country where people living
in South Africa feel safe, have no fear of crime, are properly served by the
police and courts, and corruption no longer eats away at their livelihoods.
- A country too, where the
economy is inclusive, creates jobs and equips people with the skills they need,
ensures the ownership of production is more diverse and able to grow rapidly.
- A country where higher
education and vocational training produces highly skilled graduates, ready to
meet both the present and future needs of economy and society.
- A country where rural
communities are able to fully participate in the economic, social and political
life of the country.
- A country where the terrible
spatial legacy of apartheid has finally been broken and South Africans have
humane and environmentally sustainable living and working conditions.
- A country where the state
institutions are well-run and effectively coordinated, run by professionals
committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently
high-quality services.
-
All
South Africans should now work together, again and ensure we are implementing
the NDP. The successful implementation of this plan
requires strong, responsive and ethical leadership from all of us. It is this leadership that puts the country's
collective interests ahead of narrow, short-term goals, and radically improve
government performance.
South Africans need to work together in
their communities to advance development, resolve problems and raise the
concerns of the voiceless and marginalized. We also need to work together to
hold ourselves accountable for our actions.
South
Africans need to recreate the future, starting today. The
NDP is a call to action to unite as a country and identifies the role different
sectors of society need to play in reaching its goal. The plan is about our
dreams and aspirations and actionable steps to achieve them. It identifies the
role different sectors of society need to play in reaching the desired
destination; and we have to play our part. South Africa needs active and
responsible citizens who care about their country and who will contribute
towards building the country we want to live in. We need to build on the gains
made by mobilising the private sector and other social partners to play a
stronger role in moving our country forward.
We must imagine what our future could be, ideal in
every respect, and then we must go to work, each and every day toward realising
our Plan, our Vision, the goals and the purpose. The NDP is it! This is a clarion call to all the citizens of
South Africa to play their part, have the strength to dare again, meet the
challenge again, in making the NDP work. We can all make a difference. The NDP
belongs to all of us. It is our future, let us make it work! For no-one will do
it for us…The test of our progress with the implementation of the NDP will not
be whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much already. No, it
will be when we have provided enough for those who have too little.
I
Thank You.