The purpose of the National Framework on Sustainable Development is to enunciate South Africa's national vision for sustainable development and indicate strategic interventions to re-orientate South Africa's development path in a more sustainable direction. It proposes a national vision, principles and areas for strategic intervention that will enable and guide the development of the national strategy and action plan.
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs, Republic of South Africa

It proposes five strategic focus areas for intervention.
1. Enhancing systems for integrated planning and implementation

2. Sustaining our ecosystems and using natural resources efficiently

3. Economic development via investing in sustainable infrastructure

4. Creating sustainable human settlements

5. Responding appropriately to emerging human development, economic and environmental challenges