Cesa urges Zuma to encourage rigorous acceleration of NDP implementation
Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) is hopeful that President Jacob Zumawill use the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Tuesday to emphasise the importance of the rigorous and accelerated implementation of the National Development Plan 2030 (NDP) to growing the country’s economy and addressing the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The NDP, which was handed over to Zuma by then chairperson of the National Planning Commission Trevor Manuel in September 2012, is a blueprint for the elimination of poverty and reduction of inequality in South Africa by 2030.
Government, through the NDP, had identified infrastructure development as key to the socioeconomic development of the country, noted Cesa in a statement on Friday, adding that it strongly believed that the NDP’s objectives would never come to fruition unless consulting engineers were at the forefront of this development.
“If we are serious about moving the country forward, it is time to bring the 18 Strategic Integrated Projects on stream. We are looking forward with eagerness to the roll-out of these projects so that consulting engineering firms [can] contribute [to the design of] world-class structures that will stand the test of time to improve the quality of life of [South Africans],” said Cesa CEO Lefadi Makibinyane.
Cesa urged the strengthening of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC) by introducing a public–private partnership “with a difference”, not at the transactional level but at project development, facilitation and monitoring level, he added.
The industry body recommended that a monitoring agency be formed below the secretariat level of the PICC and have dual reporting responsibility to government and business through the various business representative bodies such as itself, Business Unity South Africa, the Black Business Council, Business Leadership South Africa and the South African Black Technical and Allied Careers Organisation.
Makibinyane assured that Cesa was committed to partnering and working with government to design new infrastructure and maintain existing infrastructure as well as addressing challenges that affected the consulting engineering sector.
Cesa commended President Zuma for initiating the Presidential/Business Bilateral for Inclusive Growth Task Team on Infrastructure and hoped that this would too be highlighted during the SoNA.
“This initiative shows that the President has the foresight to institute elements that can propel the South African economy forward by inviting business to work together with government in [proposing] solutions to overcome impediments to successful business investment and providing a conducive business environment.
“This will, undoubtedly, increase investor confidence in South Africa and is a sure way to succeed in achieving the objectives of the NDP. I would like to urge the President to continue in his fifth term of administration with regular interaction with the business sector through this great initiative and dispel the negative critique by those who wish to see the NDP fail,” argued Makibinyane.
Education was another challenge facing the industry highlighted Cesa.
Basic education was key to the development of mathematics and science capabilities within the country; forming the foundation required for the development of engineers, said Cesa, suggesting that English higher grade be introduced at primary schools as it underpinned better understanding of mathematics and science.
“We hope that the President will also shed some light in charting the way forward by outlining bold steps to deal with the current procurement regime, corruption and the regulatory framework that is constraining our members in practicing their profession as well as how their services are procured.”
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