By Nosihle Shelembe
In a country faced with challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality, the South African government has adopted the National Development Plan (NDP) which aims to grow the country’s Gross Domestic Product by more than 5 percent and create 11million jobs by 2030.
Government has already started implementing the NDP with job creation as one of the focus areas.
Last year, President Jacob Zuma launched the first phase of Operation Phakisa which promotes economic growth and job creation in line with the goals outlined in the NDP.
The NDP has identified three strategic interventions which would develop a more competitive and diversified economy.
The interventions include raising levels of investment, improving skills and human capital formation and increasing net exports.
Operation Phakisa is an initiative with two projects aimed at growing the economy and transforming all public sector clinics into ideal clinics, which provide good quality care to all communities.
The first implementation phase of Operation Phakisa will be led by the Department of Environmental Affairs.
“It will focus on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans, which is estimated to have the potential to contribute up to R177 billion to the GDP and create just over one million jobs by 2033 compared to R54 billion in 2010,” President Zuma said last year.
Government has also committed to implementing ocean economy projects which are expected to contribute more than R20 billion to the GDP by 2019.
Operation Phakisa: Oceans economy lab, has four priority areas, which include marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture as well as marine protection services and ocean governance.
The initiative is an adaptation of the Big Fast Results methodology that was successfully applied by the Malaysian government in the delivery of its Economic and Government Transformation Programmes.
The work stream on offshore oil and gas exploration has set a target of drilling 30 exploration wells in the next 10 years.
Over the next 20 years, this work could lead to the production of 370 000 barrels of oil and gas per day. The result would be 130 000 jobs and a contribution of R20 billion to South Africa’s GDP.
South Africa’s coast and adjoining waters have possible resources of approximately nine billion barrels of oil.
The marine transport work stream has developed 18 initiatives across three categories, including infrastructure and operations, skills and capacity building as well as market growth to accelerate sector growth.
Government says the initiatives would expand the South African port capacity for repair work for oil ships and oil rigs.
Another Operation Phakisa target include increasing the amount of minerals exported through South African ships something that could create more than 4 000 direct jobs.
Proposals include establishing a National Shipping Company in partnership with South Korea. –SAnews.gov.za
