Of course there have been complaints. For instance, Cosatu has said it was concerned that the new body is dominated by pro-business experts while some in business fear that it might be "too left-leaning".
But that was to be expected because this institution - which will be responsible for formulating the national vision and long-term planning - is highly contested by competing groups.
The fact of the matter is that - after months of dithering and bickering over the powers of the commission - the body is finally in place.
It is now up to Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, who will chair the commission, to get on with the job.
But for the commission to succeed in its duty, it would need the political backing of President Jacob Zuma and his Cabinet.
Its work should not be hindered by endless political bickering within the ruling party and the government.
Already, the commission is behind on its work by a number of months precisely because of infighting among components of the ANC-led alliance.
If South Africa is to achieve its developmental objectives, the new commission should be allowed to operate independently.
Failure to guarantee this would not only render the new body ineffective but would also seriously hinder the Zuma administration's ability to deliver on its election promises.
When he took over power, Zuma placed national planning at the heart of his government - saying this would set the country on a quicker path towards prosperity and development.
Source: Times Live
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