Pretoria - Cabinet has approved the 2013/14 – 2015/16 Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) that will outline government’s plans to industrialise the South African economy.
“The plan builds on successive iterations of IPAP and reflects continuous improvements and strengthening of concrete industrial development interventions.
“IPAP 2013/14-2015/16 is the fifth iteration of the plan and it covers the last full financial year (2011/2012),” Acting Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams said on Thursday.
Presenting the Department of Trade and Industry’s Budget Vote last year, Minister Rob Davies said that since its introduction over two years ago, the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2) had stabilised the clothing sector, turned around the automotive sector, added jobs in the business process services sector and had introduced procurement designation to boost local production.
IPAP now falls under the New Growth Path (NGP), which is an economic framework for 2010-2020, with the overriding objective being employment.
“Successive iterations of IPAP seek to scale up key interventions over a rolling three-year period, with a 10-year outlook on desired economic outcomes. IPAP 2013/14 is informed by the vision set out by the National Development Plan (NDP). It is located within and provides one of the key pillars of the New Growth Path (NGP),” explained Williams.
The objectives of the NDP are to eradicate poverty as well as to sharply reduce inequality by 2030.
Davies will provide further details of the plan at a launch scheduled for 4 April 2013.
Additionally, Cabinet at its fortnightly meeting approved the release of the Expropriation Bill for public comment.
The Bill will repeal the current Expropriation Act of 1975, which outlines compliance with the Constitution on issues of property expropriation. The review of the Expropriation Act, 1975 became necessary to ensure consistency with the spirit and provisions of the Constitution.
“The draft Expropriation Bill, 2013 thereby seeks to achieve certainty and give guidance to those involved in or subject to, an expropriation process, both for the State, as well as a private individual,” said Williams.
Cabinet has also approved the release of the Licensing of Businesses Bill, which will repeal the current Licensing of Businesses Act of 1991. It will also provide a simple and enabling framework for procedures for application of business licences by setting norms and standards.
Although the Ministers of Trade and Industry and Tourism administer the Act, its implementation and enforcement is entirely the responsibility of the elected Administrator. - SAnews.gov.za
