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The National Economic Development and Labour Council Executive Council met today in order to conduct an audit on the implementation of the Growth and Development Summit (GDS) Agreements and to identify key focus on priorities in charting the way forward.

A detailed report on the audit will be presented to President Thabo Mbeki soon.

There was agreement that the challenges posed by the GDS remain extremely urgent and there was a frank assessment of what has been achieved and areas where much still needs to be done. It was agreed that:

The project planning and monitoring mechanisms must be strengthened. This can be achieved, in part, through the dedication of Nedlac resources with regards to the implementation of the GDS agreements.

The establishment of Technical Task Force to support the implementation of the GDS agreements. This proposed Task Force will be responsible for identifying and selecting a set of indicators to monitor the targets established within the GDS agreement. It would be able to prepare frequent and regular analysis of the indicators for use by the Government, social partners and the general public.

It is also clear that the implementation of the GDS agreements can be assisted by greater focus and synergies between the various initiatives and implementation plans.

On this issue it is important that in future all reports on GDS focus on the impact of interventions. For example, what sort of jobs - whether temporary or permanent - have been created and how many jobs were lost in the same period.

In the immediate to medium-term, it was suggested that priorities be aligned with the three pillars and programme outlined in the President's State of the Nation address in May this year.

GDS is only a starting point, so there is room for creativity in terms of taking the process forward.

As a result we see some of the major projects in the next 12 months to include the following:

• The implementation of the agreement that 5% of the funds held by institutional investors be invested in the real economy. Also within this theme it is vital to ensure that the Financial Service Charter is returned to Nedlac, or becomes more inclusive, with broad participation from all sectors of society.
  
• Sector strategies and partnerships can emerge from Summits and that they are not necessarily nationally based.
  
• Look to government Departments becoming hard champions for the various GDS themes.
  
• To open the debate on the role of the Exchange Rate in terms of the job creation.
  
• Improve the performance of the SETAs and ensure the alignment of the GDS and NSDS priorities.

There was discussion on the impact on jobs of the high value of the rand, particularly in industries that export. It was agreed to await the outcome of the discussions around the Section 77 notice lodged by the National Union of Mineworkers on this issue.

For more information: Herbert Mkhize
Cell: 082 495 1314
Tel: (011) 328 4200

Issued by: National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac)
29 June 2004