South Africa devises long term social-economic plan to encourage #youth and community participation
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By Busayo Sotunde
As one of the leading economy in the world, South Africa has broken its five-year electoral planning cycle for a long term economic planning of 20years. This is evident in the proposal published by the country’s National Planning Commission (NPC) that set plans for the development of the country’s economy for the next two decades.
The economic plan, otherwise known as the National Development Plan, will focus on:
-Creating jobs and livelihoods.
-Expanding infrastructures.
-Transition to a low carbon economy.
-Transforming urban and rural spaces.
-Improving education and training.
-Providing quality health care.
-Building a capable state.
-Fighting corruption and enhancing accountability.
-Transforming society and uniting the nation.
-Treating an inclusive and integrated rural economy.
-Broadening social protections.
-Building safer communities.
-Enhancing South Africa’s role in relation to the region and the world.
The vision 2030 statement will also open way for:
-The mobilization of society around a community agreed set of long term goals.
-Greater coherence on government’s work between departments, which can only be achieved if there is a common understanding of long term objectives.
-The development of a broad consensus to encourage business and society to think about the long term. Providing basis for making trade-offs and prioritizing major decisions.
Although the chairperson of NPC, minister Trevor Manuel in Pretoria; has recently presented the plan for the next 3-6 months, the proposal will be discussed and expanded. If the economic plan go as expected, it will be able to achieve the following goals:
-Unemployment rate should fall from 87% in 2011 to 14% by 2020 and 6% by 2030. With this, employment rate will increase from 13million to 24million in a span of 19 years.
-The proportion of working adults should increase from 14% to 61%.
-Rural employment must rise from 29% to 40%.
-GPP should increase by 2.7times in real terms.
-GDP per capita should increase from about R50,000 per person in 2030 in constant prices.
-Proportion of income should rise from 6% today to 10% in 2030.
-The level of gross fixed capital information should rise from 17% to 30%.
President Jacob Zuma however urge citizen participation in realizing the set goals as the plan will be for all people in respective of their race, creed class or political affiliation as embedded in the South Africa constitution.
He commended the commission for putting elimination of poverty and reduction of inequality at the heart of the plan.
Speaking on the vision 2030 proposal, Minister Trevor Manuel said “South Africans need to work together with government, business and civil society to make the plan a reality.”
“While the state can build schools, we need communities to ensure that the schools work properly and that children study hard. Our paradigm is one where communities are active in their own development” said Manuel.
Young people in particular must be willing to be active in crafting a road plan for their reality in 2030.
To know more about the vision 2030 plan, please visit www.npconline.co.za
