NDP crucial to SA now more than ever: Manuel
Former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel believes South Africa needs the National Development Plan now more than ever before.
He was speaking at a function in Johannesburg today.
The country is struggling economically, and is on the brink of a possible downgrade to junk status by ratings agency, Standard and Poor’s.
Manuel says the ideas contained in the NDP remain as relevant now as they were in 2013 when the plan was drafted.
With the Local Government Elections around the corner and growing concerns over a possible ratings downgrade, Manuel said strong leadership is key to implementation.
"To deal with these issues, requires leadership that's not driven by the military. And part of our challenge at the moment is we look at it in the exclusion rather than the rule. And the imperatives of introduction and implementation, I think, are actually stronger now than they were in 2013," he said.
Manuel was a Minister in the Presidency when the NDP was drafted.
The National Development Plan aims to alleviate poverty and close the inequality gap by the year 2030.
This will be achieved through the growth of an inclusive economy and the building of capabilities, among other strategies.