NPC launches National Development Plan 2030

JOHANNESBURG - The South Africa's National Planning Commission (NPC) on Wednesday handed over the ambitious National Development Plan 2030 to President Jacob Zuma for review.

"The plan is about our dreams and aspirations and detailed actionable steps to achieve them," Minister of the NPC Trevor Manuel said in launching the ambitious plan.

Manuel said, "It is a plan for a better future, in which no person lives in poverty by 2030, where no one goes hungry, where there is work for all. It is up to all of us to make it work."

"The other social problem is inequality. South Africa has a very high Gini coefficient of 0.69, we seek to reduce that to 0.60 by 2030," the minister said.

"Our approach to tackling poverty and inequality is premised on faster and more inclusive economic growth," he said.

He expected the economy to expand three times from the current level.

"Africa is enjoying one of the largest growth in the last 50 years and that would positively assist the plan," he said.

The minister stressed the continued development in science will also assist the plan.

"The main target in respect of the economy is to raise employment by 11 million to 24 million by 2030," said the official.

The minister said they want to raise per capita income from 50, 000 rands (about $6,000) per person to 120,000 rands evenly distributed to the whole population  in the next two decades.

The plan intends to see South Africa with quality education by 2030.

Manuel said, "Better quality schooling will make it easier for young people to access the labor market. It also enables workers to improve their productivity, to learn faster on the job and to raise their incomes and living standards."

He said black empowerment and employment equity have to be adhered to create a social cohesion.

According to the plan, the population is expected to be at 58.5 million by 2030. Currently South Africa has 50 million, and most of the South African population is the youth, which will assist in the growth of the economy.

He cautioned that climate change has to be watched since it can negatively affect the plan in floods and drought.

President Zuma expressed optimism that the plan has the potential to succeed, saying the plan will uproot poverty and improve the life of all South Africans.

The plan was given to the commission to be revised in November 2011.

The National Development Plan 2030 will be debated in the next cabinet meeting.