High and sustained economic growth, high employment, the equitable distribution of income and sustainable economic development are among the fundamental macro-economic objectives that countries should pursue in order to realise economic progress and the betterment of the standard of living. With respect to these macro-economic fundamentals, South Africa is considered to be a developmental state in terms of world standards and macroeconomic characteristics. South Africa is endowed with natural resources, but is still experiencing a high rate of unemployment, high levels of poverty and inequality originating from the policies of the past. Due to the high unemployment rate and low labour force participation in South Africa, poverty and inequality problems remain unresolved. This context makes it imperative to investigate the possibility of utilising the productive capacity of the economy to bail South Africa out of the daunting socioeco