• The Honorable Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu and your delegation     

• Representatives from SASSA led by Dr Pat Naicker  

• Finmark Trust representative, Dr Lungisani Dladla   

• From the Small Business Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee - Mr Sibusiso Gumede    

• NEDLAC Overall Convenor, Mr Thulani Tshefuta  

• Acting DG Department Public Works and Infrastructure, Adv Richard Sisani  

• Treasurer and Associate CEO of Africa Cooperatives Institute of South Africa - Dr Sizwe Mkhwanazi  

• From DGRV – Dr Bongumusa Ntuli  

• Stats SA DDG - Mr. Ashwell Jenneker  

• My colleagues in the NDA Board 

• NDA Acting CEO and NDA Management  

• Ladies and gentlemen and esteemed guests, 

I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you as we gather here today for the National Development Agency’s five-year Strategic Planning session. This venue holds a special significance as it echoes the words of our Former President and founding father of our democratic dispensation, Dr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. His words resonate with our mandate of poverty eradication and have special relevance to why we are gathered here: "Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom." 

We find ourselves at a juncture in time and history where the response to the plight of poverty has become more urgent than ever. I want to assure each one of you that your presence here is not by coincidence; you are where you are needed the most, and your input and collaborations are not only critical for the NDA, but for the entire nation. This is your opportunity to make your mark and influence the change that you want to see, as a wiseman, Mahatma Gandhi once said.  

The key objectives of our planning session are substantial and impactful. We aim to dissect and comprehend the current state of poverty in South Africa. It is imperative that we understand the existing government interventions towards poverty eradication and its root causes. Our goal is to position the NDA to coordinate these interventions effectively, so that we don’t leave anyone behind, in shaping the future of our nation. 

Furthermore, this session provides us with a valuable opportunity to engage on the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant system. We will explore ways to create opportunities for recipients to become economically active, own the means of production and eventually exit the system. Through collaborative discussions, we will examine best practices, models, and approaches to development, with a particular focus on utilizing community owned enterprise model as a response to fostering economic participation and ownership within South African communities. 

As we spend this time together, our objective is to strategically position ourselves as partners and identify key strategies that will enable us to respond to the desperate state of underdevelopment and poverty in South Africa. We need to give hope to the vast majority of unemployed youth of our land. In this room, we are surrounded by key stakeholders who will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic approach the NDA will take in fulfilling its mandate of contributing to poverty eradication and addressing its root causes. 

Finally, this Five-year Strategic Planning Session is designed to establish internal mechanisms within the NDA. These mechanisms will serve as the driving force behind the realization of our set objectives, leading the country out of poverty and into an economically prosperous future. By coordinating efforts using the District Development Model which will touch across government, civil society, and business, we believe that a future free from the shackles of poverty is not only desirable but also attainable. This approach will ensure that resources, from all partners, have an impact on our people, as opposed to the current fragmented approach to community development.  

Thank you for your commitment to this cause, and I look forward to the fruitful deliberations and collaborative efforts that will undoubtedly emerge from our time together. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous South Africa. 

Ladi