Mr S J F Marais (DA) to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry:
(1) Whether his department has aligned its policies and strategy with the objectives of a developmental state, as referred to in the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF); if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) Whether this alignment of policies and strategy was developed with reference to other developmental states around the world such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3)Whether a government capacity to deliver services and maintain proper administration is a critical factor of a developmental state; if not, why not; if so, how is this provided for in the (a) strategy and/or (b) policy statement of his department?
Response:
(1)The Medium Term Strategic Framework identifies, inter alia, the following, as the overarching strategic priorities that the Department of Trade and Industry has aligned its policies and strategy with:
* Speeding up growth and transforming the economy to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods
* Massive programme to build economic and social infrastructure
* pursue regional development, African advancement and enhanced international cooperation
* Sustainable resource management and use
* Build a developmental state, including improvement of public services and strengthening democratic institutions.
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) believes that the national industrial policy framework and action plan to advance it, are aligned with and supportive of the MTSF and the priorities identified in it. Through various industrial sector strategies and projects, financial support schemes, market access and investment promotion initiatives, and economic regulation, amongst others, the dti aims to contribute to speeding up growth and to transforming the economy to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods, as well as contribute to other MTSF priorities. In the immediate period ahead, the dti intends scaling up these interventions, as well as the department’s capacity, with a view to enhancing their overall impact.
Also, the dti plays a key role in fostering coordination across departments and tiers of government, through relevant clusters and forum; as well as with organised business and labour, including through the national economic development and labour council. In this context, the dti is part of implementing the various measures identified in the framework for responding to the global economic crisis, which has been agreed between government, labour and business in February 2009.
In this way, the dti sees itself as being integral to the developmental state envisaged in the MTSF.
(2) The dti has undertaken extensive research and consulted widely in developing the National Industrial Policy Framework, including local and international experts in this field. In this context, reference has been made to the experiences of the likes of South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and several others, such as the current experiences of Brazil and India. Moreover, research and consultations of this nature are ongoing, in order to continually inform and update the policies and programmes of the dti. In this connection, the dti maintains a network of experts and actors from key sectors, including within government, and convenes occasional forums for discussions and engagement.
(3) Adequate capacity to intervene in intellectual, technical, organisational and financial terms is a key defining feature and pre-requisite of the developmental state. Consequently, the continual enhancement of the capacity of the dti is a priority objective of the department, and efforts are currently being undertaken, including to reduce the vacancy rate, particularly in key posts, and to develop thedti’s overall human resources. These efforts will be stepped up in the immediate period ahead.
Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
7 October 2009
