Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Evaluation and Monitoring Maropene Ramokgopa says the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) represents a critical juncture in the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP).
“As the final medium-term plan before the Vision 2030 deadline, it signals the urgency of focused delivery,” Ramokgopa said.
She was addressing a Bureau for Economic Research (BER) conference held in Sandton, near Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
“Accelerating progress on core strategic priorities is now both essential and non-negotiable. The vision of the MTDP is centred on building a society that works for all,” said the Minister, adding that the plan directs the work of government toward three clear goals, namely: driving inclusive growth, reducing poverty and the cost of living and strengthening the state’s capacity to deliver.
“The MTDP was developed to correct these weaknesses. It sharpens the focus of government around clear, coordinated measurable priorities, supported by a results-based implementation framework."
In February, Cabinet announced the approval of the MTDP for the period 2024-2029, which outlines key priorities for the 7th administration. It builds on the National Development Plan, the Statement of Intent of the Government of National Unity, and the consensus reached during the Cabinet Lekgotla held on 29-30 January 2025.
Minister Ramokgopa said that the vision for South Africa is rooted in the principles of equality, justice, and inclusion.
“The Freedom Charter rejected apartheid’s exclusionary foundations and called for a society free of poverty, inequality and exploitation. These ideals laid the foundation for our Constitution and continue to guide our national development trajectory. The MTDP carries forward this vision. It encapsulates our collective ambition as a society that works for all one built through collaboration between government, citizens and all sectors of society.
“It commits us to ensuring equitable access to opportunity, to rebuilding trust in institutions, and to delivering tangible improvements in people’s lives,” she said.
The development of the MTDP is a more focused, participatory, and politically anchored process than previous planning cycles.
“Unlike the 2019–2024 MTSF [Medium Term Strategic Framework], which was often criticised for its lack of clarity and enforcement mechanisms, the MTDP was designed to address these gaps by strengthening alignment, coordination and delivery across all spheres of government.
“As the lead department responsible for the planning function, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) convened a whole-of-government process, grounded in lessons from the past and informed by the current political moment,” the Minister explained.
READ | Medium-Term Development Plan 2024–2029 finalised
Ramokgopa said the the DPME issued a strategic framework to guide departments in aligning their planning with the MTDP’s vision.
“It does not seek to reinvent policy, but to correct the fragmentation, overreach, and weak execution of past approaches.
“This Plan sharpens government’s focus and strengthens delivery mechanisms to achieve growth that is job-creating, broad-based, and structurally transformative. This priority seeks to enable rapid, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth that can shift South Africa’s trajectory on unemployment, poverty and inequality,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
