Chair, the ID believes that a number of principles need to inform our industrial policy action plan.
Firstly, it must restructure our economy to build up sustainable industries in new growth areas and not simply support old dying ones. It needs to diversify our economy away from the minerals and energy complex that has characterised our industrial growth path.
In doing this, it must substantially reduce the energy intensity of our economy and position us as leaders in clean technologies, particularly those related to renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Finally, it must create jobs at the skills levels that will enable the majority of South Africans to take them up. In doing this, it must be sufficiently integrated with our new infrastructure build programmes and the kinds of technology choices that we make over it.
The ID therefore looks forward to engaging with this plan to ensure that it actually lives up to its promise. I thank you.