Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa will address the National Development Plan (NDP) at the first ever Muslim Civil Society Conference next month. The Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute (ASRI) is embarking on an initiative to activate Muslim civil society on domestic policy issues and together with other civil society groups to collectively take ownership of our future, starting with engaging the NDP.

The first step on this journey is a civil society conference to be held on 15 and 16 May 2015 at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg. The opening gala dinner to launch ASRI and the conference will be addressed by Ramaphosa. The conference itself will see the launch of ASRI, “an independent, pluralist, domestic policy research institute” based in Johannesburg.

Registration and participation is open to everyone regardless of faith, ideology, gender or political affiliation.

“The content of the NDP is the starting point to get ourselves as citizens to understand government’s proposed policy directions and get actively involved in implementation in these areas,’ said Muhammad Cajee, the executive director of ASRI.

The conference itself will focus on eight sections of the NDP. Discussions will be directed by panels of prominent personalities from government, civil society, labour and business.

Some of the confirmed panellists are Minister Naledi Pandor, Former Parliamentarian Andile Mngxitama, Mr. Shauket Fakie (Former Auditor General), Rev. Frank Chikane (Former South African Council of Churches), Mr. Feroz Cachalia (Former Gauteng MEC for Economic Development) and Mr. David Makhura (Premier of Gauteng). Conference delegates include business leaders, academics and representatives of civil society organisations.

The eight topics for discussion are Improving Education and Innovation; Promoting Health; Uniting the Country; Building Safer Communities; Protecting the Environment; Fighting Corruption; Creating Employment; and Effectively Implementing Policy.

In the build up to this event, special panel discussions will be facilitated on three Islamic radio stations – VOC, Radio Islam and Radio Al Ansaar – on these topics. Last night, VOC presenter Shafiq Morton unpacked the challenge of job creation in South Africa in light of the NDP. Download the interview here: http://iono.fm/e/166315

Next week, Radio Islam presenter Maulana Sulaiman Ravat will tackle the fight against corruption, followed a week later by SAFM presenter Ashraf Garda on nation building. These are syndicated broadcasts every Wednesday from 8pm to 9pm.

The conference programme and detailed information can be viewed at www.asri.org.za.