Since the publication of the NDP in 2012, South Africa’s annual economic growth has fallen far below the target of 5.4%. Even before the economic onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africans were on a per capita basis becoming poorer, further contributing to an exceptionally high unemployment rate. To eliminate poverty, accelerate job creation and make inroads in reversing the effects of decades of racial exclusion, economic growth must increase. The attached document draws from the BER’s NDP Assessment Report to illustrate how trends in the economy and employment, environmental sustainability and South Africa’s rural economies compare with the objectives set out in the NDP.