Pretoria -
The National Planning Commission’s hopes are pinned on this week’s cabinet lekgotla coming out in support of its long-term strategy for the country, Vision 2030.
President Jacob Zuma said when the plan was handed to him last month that he expected a start would be made at the lekgotla on aligning the government’s development plans with the overarching proposals of the commission.
A senior member of the commission’s secretariat said a special presentation on the plan would be made at the lekgotla this afternoon.
“We are looking for broad endorsement (of the plan) at this stage and then for it to be sent to departments for alignment,” the official said.
Zuma usually presides over two cabinet lekgotlas a year - one in January, at which the government agenda is set, and another later, when progress in implementing the programme of action is assessed.
The lekgotla, at the Sefako M Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, began on Tuesday after a routine cabinet meeting.
It is understood that discussion about the Marikana shooting and its aftermath - as well as the negative fallout for the mining sector and SA’s reputation - would have taken place during the cabinet meeting.
Ministers who chair cabinet cluster committees will be reporting back on progress in areas the government has identified as top priorities: education, health, job creation, fighting crime and rural development.
Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel and Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti are expected to report on the work of the presidential commission on infrastructure development.
They are the lead ministers involved in overseeing the planned megabillion-rand infrastructure spend announced by Zuma earlier this year.
Provincial premiers and directors-general of national departments are expected to join the lekgotla for its final day tomorrow. - Pretoria News