1. 2 Purpose The Green Paper on National Strategic Planning… –Sets out the rationale for improving planning in government with participation of all sectors.

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Purpose• The Green Paper on National Strategic Planning…

– Sets out the rationale for improving planning in government with participation of all sectors in society

• …drawing on international experience and our own history

– Describes the institutions required in the planning process and their respective roles

• In particular, the establishment of a National Planning Commission (NPC)

– Outlines in broad terms the functions of the different institutions in planning

– Defines the outputs of the planning process

– Provides an indication of what content issues a national plan is likely to deal with

– Displays how key functions undertaken by The Presidency are interconnected

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Blazing a new trail• The experience of the past 15 years shows that…

– it will take a long time to meet or Constitutional obligations due to our history

– we must set ourselves milestones and targets in an integrated plan of the nation as a whole to guide our actions and orient our posture

– having a coherent plan alone is not enough – we must construct a developmental state that has the necessary capacity to carry out the plan

– there are forces and trends over which we have little influence,

• International experience has shown that countries that have developed rapidly have had three critical characteristics which any development plan would have to deal with:

– rapid economic growth;– education and skills development of high quality; and– strong and credible public and private institutions.

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Type of Planning• The type of planning we are proposing…

– is high level national strategic planning with a long time horizon

– is meant to assist us to more clearly describe the type of country we desire to be over a given period and how to get there

– will serve as a guide to medium and short term plans

– creates room for appropriate organisations to undertake operational and detailed infrastructure planning taking account of the broader national plan

– allows each department, sphere of government and state agency to have its own planning capacity

– will draw on the outcomes and plans of the various spheres

– will define high level outcomes and impacts which sector plans will take account of in developing their plans

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What the planning function will not do…

• Micro-planning and sector planning – Instead will develop the frameworks and parameters that will influence

sectoral plans

• Gate-keeping – Ministers will still be accountable for the plans of the departments, which

is to be overseen by Parliament

• Budgeting – – The planning process will influence the allocation of resources without

taking over the function

• The planning process is about providing a coherent vision and strategic outcomes around which policies and programmes need to be developed to achieve intended objectives

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Gaps in our system• Some of the deficiencies in the current planning system that

need to be overcome include…

– An agreed long-term vision about the country’s future direction which enjoys the support of all sectors

– no systematic effort to ensure that visions & strategies of departments, sectors and spheres articulate with one another

– planning and monitoring and evaluation lack a dedicated agency with necessary authority to drive them

– Existence of formal structures of policy coordination and dialogue but tendency for each sector to pursue narrow interests

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A long term vision• We need a long-term vision and national strategic plan to…

– mobilise society around a commonly agreed set of long-term goals - a key aspect of a successful developmental state;

– achieve greater coherence in government’s work through a detailed, common understanding of the long-term objectives and direction of our society; and

– encourage a longer term view from all key institutions, allowing them to invest with greater confidence in buildings, equipment and their employees.

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Strategic Research / Investigations

• National planning issues that would be the subject of investigations…

– long-term macro-social and demographic trends– long-term availability of water– energy consumption and production– conservation, biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation– local economic development and spatial settlements trends– food security and sustainable rural development– innovation, technology and equitable economic growth– public transport: medium- and long-term choices– poverty, inequality and the challenge of social cohesion– national health profile and developmental healthcare strategies– defence industry and long-term defence capabilities– regional, continental and global dynamics and their long-term implications– industrial development trends and changing structure of the economy– capability and performance of the Public Service– advancing human resources for national development.

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An example of the where planning fits in: Water

• Water is a scarce resource, we’re a dry country• This resource needs to be better managed and we need

significant infrastructure investment to provide for the population and a growing economy

• What framework will decide who gets water– Agriculture, mining, energy, transport, industry, leisure, household

consumption• What policies will force better resource utilisation?

– For example: can we move to less water-intensive agricultural methods?

– How do we price water?• Who invests, who maintains, what sequence of

investments?

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Water: what role for planning?• A national plan would set out the long term objectives for

water resource management– How much would we need?– What macro investments are required?– What would the objectives of regulation be?– What framework is used to trade-off, for example, mining and

agriculture’s use of water?• A plan would set out the parameters and overarching

frameworks which will guide the plans and operations of government, industry, public entities and regulators

• In turn, departments and entities directly affected as well as regulators and industry would be required to make an input into the development of this element of the plan

• Without proper planning, South Africa could face serious water security risks.

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Interim Outputs

Output Input Institution

Long-term vision

Medium Term Strategic Framework

(MTSF)

Programme of Action

• sectoral plans

• research/ investigations

• sub national plans

• electoral mandate

• periodic reviews

• long-term vision

• MTSF

National Planning Commission

The Presidency

The Presidency

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Planning Institutions1. Cabinet2. President’s Coordinating

Council / President’s Intergovernmental Forum

3. National Planning Commission (supported by a secretariat) (NEW)

4. Ministry in The Presidency & National Planning Secretariat (NEW)

5. Ministerial Committee on Planning (NEW)

National Planning Commissi

on

Minister in The Presidency

National Planning

Secretariat

Ministerial Committee

on Planning

Cabinet

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Process – role of Parliament

• Beyond the consultative process the Green Paper envisages an enhanced role for Parliament in overseeing the planning process and ensuring its successful implementation.

• Set up appropriate committees and mechanisms to:– interact with the Minister– input into the planning process– consider the outputs of the planning process

• Incisive role in interrogating and enriching the long-term vision and ensuring it is embraced by broader society.

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Process – next steps

• Process inputs & comments for final adoption of GP by Cabinet

• Establishing the NPC• Setting up the Secretariat• Launch consultative process for the

development of long-term vision• Undertake research in key areas

Proposed architecture and systems of strategic planning will be finalised taking into account inputs from Parliament, experts and

society at large

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Conclusion Government does not exist for its own sake but to lead and to serve

It should develop strategic and institutional capacity and work with all social partners and with society at large to identify South Africa’s long-term objectives and the path towards attaining them

The planning function is tasked with developing a national plan and other, shorter-term, products

This proposal is informed by the understanding that our success as a nation depends on the involvement of citizens in identifying the nation’s vision and working together to realise it

Proposed architecture and systems of strategic planning will be finalised taking

into account inputs from Parliament, experts and society at large

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Ke ya lebogaKe a leboha

Ke a lebogaNgiyabonga

NdiyabulelaNgiyathokoza

NgiyabongaInkomu

Ndi khou livhuhaDankie

Thank you