The RDP – What can OR offer?

South Africa has made historical changes during the past six years. With the change of Government in May 1994, the majority party of the Government of National Unity, the ANC, announced its master plan for the new South Africa. That was the birth of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (the RDP). Within the RDP document the five major aspects or problem areas in South Africa that need attention are quoted, namely: meeting basic needs; developing our human resources; building the economy; democratising the state and society; and implementing this programme. This paper outlines what OR can offer to support the RDP. We argue, that although all five of the above are valid in the discussion, the emphasis should be on economic growth and how OR can support this. The challenges and opportunities that exist are enormous for OR; the OR community needs to position itself in such a way that it can impact the RDP itself and the RDP process.