The National Planning Commission (NPC) and Operation Vulindlela (OV) will be working closely to support implementation of the country’s economic priorities and structural reforms. This emerged at a meeting between the two entities held on 26th May 2022.
Since its appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa in December last year, the NPC has convened a series of engagements with key stakeholders who play a leading role in economic policy and implementation. The aim of these sessions is to provide the NPC with a nuanced understanding of these challenges so that its advice response is appropriately framed.
Operation Vulindlela works to accelerate reform by identifying key structural challenges and assisting to unlock these through a variety of agile and active interventions, including providing recommendations to the President and Cabinet where a decision or agreement is required.
The reforms are intended to change the structure of the economy to reduce input costs, lower barriers to entry and increase competition. Lower costs and greater efficiency increase the competitiveness of the economy and create new opportunities for inclusive growth, investment and job creation.
In its meeting with the NPC, Operation Vulindlela provided a progress report on the five priority areas that comprise the economic reform agenda to fundamentally transform the economy.
The five priorities identify targeted interventions:
• Reforms in the electricity sector will stabilise our energy supply, reduce the risk of load shedding and accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources.
• Reforms in the digital communications sector will reduce the cost of data and broadband, expand internet access to low-income households and unlock new investment in telecommunications infrastructure.
• Reforms in the water sector aim to increase investment in the maintenance and construction of water infrastructure and improve water quality.
• Reforms in the transport sector aim to improve the efficiency of South Africa’s logistics infrastructure, helping to grow exports.
• Reforms to the visa regime aim to attract skills and promote tourism in South Africa.
After an informative and robust engagement session between the OV and NPC, the two entities decided to engage regularly to help shape the OV’s emerging list of economic priorities, particularly as implementation progress is unlocked and further interventions must be made.
About the NPC
The National Planning Commission is an independent advisory body to government comprising experts from the private sector, academia and other stakeholders focusing on South Africa’s medium- and longer-term requirements as defined in the National Development Plan. The NPC’s work covers economic, social and governance aspects of the future.
About Operation Vulindlela
Operation Vulindlela was established in October 2020 as a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms that are captured in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.
Source: Government of South Africa