Some good humoured joshing about the serious – but not terminal – medical condition of “patient South Africa” did not mask the seriousness of the subject at hand when National Planning Commission (NPC) Deputy Chairman Cyril Ramaphosa and Acting Head of the Secretariat Kuben Naidoo discussed the NPC’s Diagnostic Report at a GIBS Forum. 

Stressing that the commission was mandated to identify the problems facing the country and devise a 2030 vision for South Africa, Naidoo stressed that the 26 members of the commission – including Minister Trevor Manuel – had identified nine key challenges which must be overcome in order to effectively reduce poverty and address inequality. “This is not just dinner time talk, it is backed up by facts,” stressed Naidoo.

Not surprisingly the commission has acknowledged that the abysmal state of education and massive unemployment are the most pressing problems among the nine. Setting out these initial findings is the start of the conversation, which Ramaphosa invited all to engage on via www.npconline.co.za, but the big test will come on 11/11/2011 when, fittingly at 11am, the NPC will present the vision and a plan of execution to the nation. “A plan,” said Ramaphosa, “that will be implementable and which all South Africans can own.” Diarise now.