The second NPC has established three work-streams focusing on measures to inter alia:
Within the economy work-stream several task teams have been created to focus on various initiatives in order to transform and grow the economy, as well as address unemployment, poverty and inequality. Some of the priority areas within the economy work stream are as follows:
On job creation and SMME development the NPC has conducted research on the limited success of entrepreneurial activity by locals in townships and rural areas. The research was undertaken as part of the NPC’s economy work-stream’s task of prioritising township and rural economies as vehicles for achieving nationwide objectives of transforming and growing the economy, as well as addressing youth unemployment.
The key findings of the research indicate the need to improve the survival of small businesses in South Africa and especially those in the townships and rural areas as of paramount importance to realise the NDP vision 2030. South Africa has a number of well-developed policy imperatives and strategies; the missing gap is the ability to translate existing policies and strategies into effective implementation for the growth and development of small businesses in South Africa. Enterprise development is affected by numerous factors both within (internal) i.e. at micro level of an enterprise (e.g. managerial competencies); and outside (external) to the enterprise.
The research outcomes, as a way forward, indicate that there is an urgent need of discussion with the following Departments: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Rural Development and Land Affairs, Small Business Development and Trade and Industry to work together to unblock and then harvest what is essentially low hanging fruit in local economic development.