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Johannesburg - South Africa’s National Development Plan is significant in several respects and not just in the manner it was developed, said ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.
"I cannot recall a time in the history of our democracy when there has been such broad agreement among political parties and social partners about the work that needs to be done to build our future," he told the South African Jewish Community on Thursday night, speaking at an event hosted by Investec in Johannesburg.
The NDP programme aimed to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality in South Africa by 2030 and had been endorsed across the political spectrum.
The ANC’s decision in Mangaung to place the NDP at the centre of its programme in government was one of the most important outcomes of the party’s national gathering.
"It provides a clear policy direction, which was reinforced by President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation address."
Ramaphosa said it was significant also that the ANC conference dealt comprehensively with the role of the state in the economy, among other things, resolving the debate around nationalisation.
South Africa had further embarked on the largest infrastructure investment programme Africa had ever seen.
Ramaphosa said this would not only help stimulate economic activity and create jobs, but would significantly reduce the cost of doing business in South Africa and improve the country’s ability to attract and retain investment.
Although the investment programme was initiated by public institutions, its full impact would not be achieved without the co-operation and involvement of the private sector.
Ramaphosa said it was also time to shift the overall emphasis of investment in South Africa towards the development of long-term productive assets.
