Embrace NDP, Manuel urges SA

Published Aug 15, 2012

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Cape Town - National Planning Commission Minister Trevor Manuel urged South Africans on Wednesday to embrace the national development plan (NDP).

“It is a plan for our collective future. It is up to all of us to make it work. We speak of a future with expanding opportunities,” he told a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament convened to present the revised document to President Jacob Zuma.

“We speak of a future we must shape, because we care and because we cannot miss the opportunity to do so,” Manuel said.

Over the past two years, the commission had listened to thousands of South Africans from all corners of the country and from all walks of life.

“We received comments from individuals and organisations and engaged with government departments, provinces, municipalities, state-owned enterprises, and agencies.

“The plan we present today focuses on how we can translate our political emancipation into social and economic benefits for all South Africans, but particularly for young people. That we change the life chances of young people is critical for the future of our country.”

The NDP was a broad strategic plan, not a detailed one. The commission had been careful to distinguish between a broad strategy, specific policies of government and the day-to-day actions of business, government or trade unions.

“The commission has drawn from our Constitution the perspective that the future we must construct is one where no person lives in poverty and where together we deal decisively to root out the deep inequality that we have inherited. We are convinced that our country can and must eliminate poverty,” Manuel said. - Sapa

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