The Human Science Research Council (HSRC) applauds the Appropriations Committees and the Ministry of Finance for enabling public engagement with the national budget priority setting and decision making processes. Further, it applauds efforts to chart a new inclusive growth path that serves as an agenda for collective action. The HSRC identified the following strengths in respect of the MTBPS: . Employment is clearly stated as the government's top priority, however the MTBPS need to be complemented by more detail as to how the government will implement a new development path that will create 5 million jobs within 10 years; . It takes into account the scale of challenges faced in areas of poverty, education and health; . It recognises cities as engines of growth, thus requiring more investment in infrastructure to address bottlenecks and backlogs; . It recognises that expanding informal settlements need investment; It provides for faster growth in municipal spending compared to growth in provincial and national expenditure; . It recognises that investment in transport can improve living standards for workers, cut transport costs and increase productivity; and . It gives due attention to rural development, youth employment, the Industrial Policy Action Plan and the Community Works Programme.