Plans for the first phase of Operation Phakisa, which promotes economic growth and job creation in line with the goals outlined in the National Development Plan, are on track, Cabinet has heard.

Cabinet was briefed on the progress made with Operation Phakisa’s oceans economy lab at its ordinary meeting in Cape Town this week.

“The operation has now entered an implementation phase, which involves monitoring and project managing the implementation,” Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, said during the post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.

Operation Phakisa’s oceans economy lab is estimated to have the potential to contribute up to R177 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and create just over one million jobs by 2033.

The oceans economy lab has four priority areas, which include marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture as well as marine protection services and ocean governance.

“Delivery units have been established and monitoring and escalation mechanisms and processes are in place,” the Minister said.

He added that the planning phase of the oceans economy lab took place in Durban during July and August 2014 and resulted in the production of detailed plans to grow the ocean economy.

Operation Phakisa (“phakisa” meaning “hurry up” in Sesotho) was launched by President Jacob Zuma in July last year and is an adaptation of the Big Fast Results methodology that was successfully applied by the Malaysian government in the delivery of its economic and government transformation programmes.

Operation Phakisa consists of two projects aimed at growing the economy by taking advantage of the ocean’s untapped resources and transforming all public sector clinics into ideal clinics, which provide good quality care to all communities.

The second phase of Operation Phakisa, which is led by the Department of Health, was launched by President Zuma in November last year.