Hon member, let me first thank you for the question. The answer is yes, and the way in which we can get society more actively involved is through a few key means. The
first one is, through the process of National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac. Parliament passed the law called the National Economic Development and Labour Council Act, that Act creates a body in which trade unions, business organisations, community bodies that are made up of young people, women and rural organisations all come together, and when we do major jobs policies, we sit down with them.
Recently, the President chaired the meeting at Nedlac, and we looked at what are the steps that government is taking to promote employment creation. We've got feedback from our social partners. We also looked at red tape reduction and ways of easing the business environment and protecting the rights of workers in the process. So, that's one example in which society can contribute to the attainment of our goals and national objectives.
The second one is for the state to recognise that it is a key player, but it is mainly an enabler. It opens up the door. Young people, Energy and Enterprise must drive the development of new industries, bringing women who have experience of running a family, who very often in rural areas are the main economic actors. Bringing them into the economy by removing obstacles is another way in which we can get society to shape the economic agenda.
The third area of course, is one that the hon members will know very well, and that is Parliament itself. Parliament contains the representatives of South Africa's people. You represent here today our people organised via the provinces and the National Assembly also represents our people. So, through the oversight work that you do, we involve South Africans in it. You have your constituency officers and you get feedback, all of that is an important part of what we do.
Then we have outreach programmes. The President has now pioneered a new Khawuleza programme where we go to different districts like the OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape, eThekwini Municipality in the Metro and earlier this week we've been in Lephalale to interact with people. There's also a combination of meeting with business people in that district, convening a big imbizo, where the community attends. We also visited factories like the smartphone factory in Durban. That came out of a commitment made at the Investment Conference. Few days ago, the President visited Medupi in Lephalale.
So, these are the examples of involving our people more actively in the economy, both in shaping things, but principally, as the drivers because what is the economy? The economy is all the activities that people make like microphones, they bottle water, they grow food and
make clothing. That's what an economy is. Opening opportunities for South Africans to play that role, it's what government must do. It's the enegy, the passion and the enterprise of our people that can drive the economy. Thank you.