Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma says government will next month launch Operation Phakisa – an initiative aimed at fast-tracking the delivery of the priorities outlined in the National Development Plan.
He said government had been in discussions regarding the launch of an adaptation of the Big Fast Results methodology with the government of Malaysia.
Earlier this week, Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, explained that the Big Fast Results methodology involved bringing key stakeholders together in a “laboratory” for intensive planning at a practical and detailed level, setting targets which are made public, rigorous monitoring of progress with implementation and making the results public.
Minister Radebe said using this methodology, the government of Malaysia was able to register impressive results within a short period.
President Zuma, responding to the debate of the State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly on Friday, said the Malaysian approach had been renamed to Operation Phakisa in South Africa.
This would emphasise its critical role in fast-tracking delivery on the priorities included in the National Development Plan 2030.
“We want to find methods that work that will deliver results and we believe Operation Phakisa may provide the key,” said the President.
The first implementation of Operation Phakisa will be led by the Department of Environmental Affairs, focussing on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa's oceans.
According to President Zuma, the country’s oceans are estimated to have the potential to contribute up to R177 billion to GDP by 2033 compared to R54 billion in 2010.
Minister Radebe, speaking during the State of the Nation Debate, said there was massive untapped economic potential related to the oceans, in the areas of marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture and marine protection services and governance.
He added that the sector had the potential to employ one million people by 2033 compared with 316 000 in 2010.
President Zuma said government will also pilot this methodology to improve service delivery in clinics nationwide and promote Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's “ideal clinic” initiative.
The health sector laboratory will be undertaken in collaboration with provinces, districts and clinic managers with the aim of producing a detailed plan for improving service delivery in public sector clinics in all provinces, including indicators, targets and timeframes; and a guideline for clinic managers to develop and sustain these improvements.
This is one of the many reforms government is implementing as part of the National Health Insurance initiative. – SAnews.gov.za
