Thousands want Manuel as boss

Trevor Manuel, the minister of planning, already has received more than 400 nominations for the National Planning Commission he will head.

Kuben Naidoo, a senior treasury official who is helping Manuel set up his new office, told Business Times there had also been more than 2000 applications for jobs in the secretariat that will underpin Manuel's work.

The commission will comprise 20 part-time members appointed by President Jacob Zuma from a short list that Manuel will submit.

The secretariat, to be based in the presidency, will probably have between 20 and 30 people.

"A large proportion of the nominations to the commission are from people who have nominated themselves," Naidoo said. Most of the others had agreed to be nominated, but a handful had been put forward without their knowledge.

Naidoo said the commission would have to reflect the country in terms of race, gender and geography, but would not be a representative body for political parties or civil society.

In the revised green paper that Manuel presented on January 15, he warned: "The nature of the commission cannot be one where a plan is negotiated instead of a plan that is developed, based on the best evidence, and in the long-term interests of the country as a whole."

Naidoo said Manuel had not fully analysed the nominations, which remain open until February 10, but was impressed by the standard of some of them. The nominations also included people with strong ideas, but without the experience or expertise to warrant a seat.

He said nominations were being grouped into categories such as future planners, demographers, sociologists, economists and business leaders. The short list would include one or two names from each category.

"I think the minister has some names in mind that he would like to see come forward and the President probably has some names in mind, too," he said.

There would be no formal interviews, but it was likely that Manuel would call some of those he wanted to include on the short list to discuss their intentions.

The first task of the commission, which Manuel will head, will be to draft a "Vision 2025" defining South Africa's goals and priorities for the next 15 years. This would be submitted first to a ministerial committee, also headed by Manuel, and then to the cabinet for discussion and adoption.

The commission will also produce a series of sectoral reports on issues ranging from water security to energy supply and crime prevention. "South Africa needs well-researched, evidence-based input into the policy process on broad cross-cutting issues that have long-term implications for our development," Manuel said in the revised green paper.

"The operating principle should be that people sitting on the commission should be knowledgeable and representative of the diverse views in the country, but willing and able to work collaboratively to develop a coherent and consistent national plan."