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NDP a vision to boost growth

National Development Plan

National Development Plan

Johannesburg – Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has singled out the National Development Plan (NDP) as a vision for his department to boost economic growth and to eliminate poverty through creating jobs.

“The NDP is our vision … and we also have programmes which are intended to give effect to that through the New Growth Path, which overall identifies the series of job drivers and located within those is manufacturing,” he said.

Davies was speaking to SAnews after the Post-State of the National Address (SONA) information seminar organised by Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Johannesburg last night.

The NDP aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. According to the plan, South Africa can realise these goals by drawing on the energies of its people, growing an inclusive economy, building capabilities, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society.

According to Davies, government through the NDP, aims to create 11 million jobs by 2030 through promoting employment in labour-absorbing industries and boosting exports and competitiveness.

Davies hailed the information sharing seminar as a relevant platform which gives government leadership a chance to hear the concerns of the people, with the intention of accelerating service delivery.

He also used the session to give details of the National Exporter Development Programme (NEDP) which he launched last month.

The minister said the objectives of the programme include developing a pool of export-ready companies; contributing to export growth; developing new markets and new export products through extensive capacity building and mentorship; provision of information and implementation of special projects, including export villages and national pavilions.

Davies said the programme will cater for existing as well as potential exporters at different stages of development and developing emerging exporters, especially black and women-owned businesses.

“The NEDP is designed to be an integral component of the National Export Strategy on which the department has held consultative workshops throughout the country.

“It will focus on the enhancement of the national export culture, provision of information and advice, capacity building, creation of opportunities with the aim of expanding the exporter base and increasing the growth and diversification of South Africa’s export basket,” he said.

MEC for Economic Development and Planning in Gauteng, Nkosiphendule Kolisile, was equally excited about the GCIS’s move to organise the Post-SONA information session.

“These seminars, which the national government is embarking on in terms of informing and giving details to Gauteng residents on a number of key issues of trade, industry and investment, is important to our big and small entrepreneurs and this is taking democracy to another level.”

With regard to his department’s role in terms of supporting the NDP, Kolisile said: “We applaud the introduction of the NDP because it sets clear goals for government, and so we must deduce it into a practical implementation programme. We are quite excited to implement the NDP.”

GCIS acting acting CEO, Nebo Legoabe, said they were constantly seeking avenues that would contribute towards heeding the Presidential call for government to work faster and smarter, as the GCIS had restructured and repositioned itself as “the pulse of communication excellence in government”.

“These seminars form part of a wider communication plan and specifically an outreach programme to inform South Africans about the pronouncements as well as the progress made on the implementation of such programmes contained in the SONA.

“Working with our provincial offices, we’ve responded to the call for intensive engagement with communities and stakeholders as a follow up to the State of the Nation Address,” she said.

Legoabe said during the series of seminars, they invite community stakeholders to directly interact with and listen to ministers and deputy ministers hammering out the details of President Zuma’s SONA.

She said the key area of this year’s post-SONA information seminars will be the highlights of the NDP and how the current administration takes the quest for Vision 2030 forward.

“We piloted this venture to great applause last year and this year, we are seeking to scale up this initiative. Cabinet has endorsed this plan and we aim to hold such seminars with opinion leaders across the country,” said Legoabe. – SAnews.gov.za

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