NPC should not pander to the government

President Jacob Zuma’s endorsement of the National Planning Commission’s independence has emboldened Planning Minister Trevor Manuel.

Manuel said yesterday he would be involved in the budgeting process along with the Treasury and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, and he stressed that planning and budgeting always go together.

Manuel’s comment suggests he is claiming territory from Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, after persistent reports of a turf battle over the past year.

Briefing the media ahead of the Presidency’s budget vote, Manuel, in response to a question, stressed that the commission was appointed by the president and had the full support of the entire executive.

He said the commission was “incredibly empowered” by Zuma’s forthright instruction it should not pander to the government. Clearly Zuma’s instruction to the inaugural meeting of the commission on Tuesday that it should be critical and independent, has given Manuel the space to forge ahead with a national vision and development plan.

“The commission is an organisation with status, the show is on the road,” Manuel said, adding that it would exist alongside other clubs and societies.

He had been asked how the commission related to Patel’s plans to research economic development and said its mandate — which was to produce a national vision 2025 and national plan within the next 18 months — was clear.

“We have a job of work to do and we will do that job of work because it’s in the national interest as the president asked of the National Planning Commission yesterday,” he said. Line function ministers had their responsibilities and the commission would exist outside these.

Source: Business Day