Ad Hoc Committee on the Green Paper on National Strategic Planning
A variety of stakeholders have called for a rethink on the way the envisaged national planning commission (NPC) is to be constituted and how it will function. The ad hoc committee on the green paper on national strategic planning held public hearings on the green paper in Parliament.
A number of key stakeholders made oral submissions.
The Chamber of Mines welcomed the advent of the green paper as a sign that more integrated planning was on the cards. The Chamber also declared that the green paper gave the impression that the implications of planning would be thought through more comprehensively. The green paper also speaks of better monitoring of the envisaged coordinated implementation of policy by government departments.
The Chamber expressed support for a planning process that provided a long-term vision for South Africa. In the past, the required level of coordination had been lacking.
The setting up of a national strategic planning function would help to prevent unintended consequences arising from policies formulated within the narrow confines of particular sectors. A holistic planning approach would produce better outcomes.
The Chamber also supported the proposal that each department’s plans would be incorporated into the national strategic plan while, in turn, each sector plan would have to adhere to the national plan’s framework.
It proposed that the mining industry’s vision 2025, currently under construction, would be a valuable input into the development of the national plan.
The Chamber declared its support for the notion expressed in the green paper that the long-term success of the vision and plan was dependent on the contribution and support of all stakeholders. However, concern was voiced at the lack of detail on the proposed mechanism to bring the stakeholders together. Questions were raised as to the composition of the national planning commission (NPC). It appeared as though stakeholders would not serve on the commission, rather “respected thinkers”.
The Chamber asserted that the exclusion of business and labour stakeholders from the commission could lead to the “marginalisation of the most important contributors to economic growth, namely business and labour”. Both business and labour should not be confined to the role of consultants.
It added that the primary decision-making and planning would take place within the NPC. While acknowledging the importance of the presence of experts, it proposed that organised business and labour should be accommodated on the commission.
In addition to the four stated requirements for sound development planning, the Chamber sought to add a “fifth critical element”. It argued that an appropriate balance was necessary between planning and market factors. The challenge was to avoid either an overly centralised planning system or an unrestrained free market system.
According to the Chamber, this balance was necessary to achieve the required levels of economic growth and development.
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) supported the general principle expressed in the green paper that there was a need for permanent structures and processes designed to foster growth and development in the interests of reducing inequality. An appropriate institutional structure was vital as a forerunner to economic development.
BUSA also supported the green paper’s call for a long-term vision and the introduction of proper planning processes to address the socio-economic challenges facing South Africa. A proposed move away from ad hoc planning and ad hoc solutions was commendable.
Integrated planning and better coordination between government departments was crucial.
The notion of a central agency within government to drive monitoring and evaluation of programmes was also welcomed.
BUSA, however, called for careful examination of previous overarching intervention programmes in South Africa such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme, the Expanded Public Works Programme and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative South Africa as a way of avoiding repeating mistakes.
BUSA laid down eight broad conditions that it believes are necessary for a successful national strategic planning function.
It declared that certain aspects of the green paper had to be reviewed. For example, the exclusion of stakeholders from the commission could lead to the marginalisation of business and labour. A systematic relationship between planning and performance monitoring was essential. More clarity was needed on the relationship between the NPC and institutions such as Nedlac.
The process to set up the NPC should not be rushed so that a proper statutory framework could be put in place.
Cosatu stated that the thinking process behind the NPC as laid out in the green paper was “severely flawed”. The commission was supposed to eliminate duplication, improve service delivery and help to strengthen the technical and organizational capacity of the public sector.
However, the green paper indicated that the NPC would encroach on the functions of other departments, thereby duplicating functions.
Cosatu did voice support for the green paper’s emphasis on the need for long-term planning and better co-ordination. However, neither the NPC nor the minister should be responsible for policy planning and economic development. Rather, the NPC should be focused on developing plans for implementation of government policy.
Cabinet should retain an oversight role over policy formulation, planning and coordination. Cabinet clusters play a key role in this regard.
“Additionally, any national strategic planning process needs to properly define the role of cabinet clusters, cross-cutting department (such as economic development or rural development), line function departments, provinces, local government and the various state institutions including parastatals”.
According to Cosatu, the green paper seems to accord the NPC the power to develop policy, determine policy priorities, impact on the budgeting process and plan policy implementation.
The trade union was concerned that the NPC would encroach on the work of the economic planning department.
The danger also existed of a super-ministry being created as the minister on national strategic planning in the presidency would chair the proposed inter-ministerial committee. This could lead to inter-governmental conflict, thereby paralysing the state.
Cosatu called for the green paper in its current form to be rejected by the ad hoc committee so that a re-conceptualisation of the NPC could be undertaken.
Sabinet Cape Town Office
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