South Africa's infrastructure development programme should to be linked to a continental infrastructure plan, Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel suggested on Wednesday.

Speaking during debate in the National Assembly on President Jacob Zuma's budget vote, he said South Africa was a major industrial economy with strong supply linkages across its borders.

Further, South Africa's economy was based on innovation, skills, science and technology and fair labour standards, and driven by strong domestic demand.

As such, the development agenda for South Africa contained the seeds of a new growth path for the development of the continent.

"And, there are connections between what we do at home and what happens in the region. Many elsewhere in Africa agree with this perspective.

"For example, the programme of infrastructure development needs to be linked to a continental infrastructure plan."

Industrial policy in South Africa should also be mirrored by a broader Africa-wide industrialisation strategy.

"There are enormous opportunities for us in developing an integrated production and supply chain across the region," he said.

"As we reposition South Africa to take advantage of responsible and balanced economic relations in Africa, with the global south, and traditional trading partners... we will engage strongly with the local business community and organised labour to seek a national consensus."

A consensus on maximising the impact of the opportunities on local jobs and on development of the region and of the continent, Patel said.