Cape Town - Minister in the Presidency: National Planning Commission Trevor Manuel on Wednesday addressed MPs at a workshop in Parliament on the National Development Plan, which details a number of key drivers of change in the country.
He said South Africans should embrace the five key factors that have become crucial to the changing world we live in.
The National Development Plan aims to make a better life for all by eliminating poverty and reducing inequality by 2030. It sets out proposals to address the most pressing problems facing South Africa by providing better education, health and nutrition, safe communities, physical infrastructure such as schools, clinics, ports and power lines, transport and job opportunities.
The plan is currently being refined through a series of public engagements.
The five key factors, he said, included a shift in the world economy from West to East, globalisation, the resurgence of Africa, climate change, increased interconnectivity among people through cellphones and internet for example and the increasing reliance on technology which meant South Africa would have to spend more on research and development.
On the shift from West to East, Manuel pointed out that the plan by the Chinese government - China 2030, which was released two weeks ago - outlined the Asian giant's aim to produce about 200 million graduates over the coming years.
Africa had huge possibilities - with the largest reserve of mineral wealth and land in the world, said Manuel.
A six-month public engagement period, opened in November last year, is drawing to an end and Manuel called on all MPs to brief their constituencies on the plan.
Planning around population shifts was also crucial, he said, pointing out that the South African population is expected to grow from 50 million to 58.5 million by 2030, according to the plan.
About 30 million South Africans live in urban areas, but by 2030, an additional 11 million would move to cities - with the urban rate increasing to 70% of all South Africans.
This, he said, raised a series of questions about where these people would be housed, where they would work, what water they would use and what kind of transport they would use, among other things.
He said the take up in the Department of Home Affair's Zimbabwe Dispensation Project had been way below the estimated amount of Zimbabweans in the country - some as high as four million.
This meant that either the estimations of Zimbabweans were far below what the actual amount was, or many were more prepared to "hide in the twilight".
In a seven minute Youtube presentation screened at the workshop, Manuel points out that a capable state, active citizenry and good leadership will be crucial if the country is to carry out the National Development Plan.
The plan set two key objectives - the eradication of poverty and the elimination of inequality, he said.
He had been in touch with all political parties and hoped to do presentations to all the caucuses of the various parties over the next few weeks.
The commission had also met with various religious groups, to ensure that all groups are being engaged with.
Manuel said the plan would come before Cabinet by the middle of the year.
