Nominations for individuals wanting to serve on the National Planning Commission (NPC) opened on Tuesday, the planning, monitoring, and evaluation department said.

Nominations were open until April 10.

The term of office for the current commissioners, who were appointed by President Jacob Zuma in 2010, would expire in May 2015, the department said in a statement.

The NPC was responsible for developing a long-term vision and strategic plan for the country.

The new commission's focus would be advising government on how best to implement the national development plan, and to develop detailed plans for sectors that would drive economic growth and transformation.

The department said it needed people with skills in infrastructure development, urban and regional planning, energy, agriculture and food security, education and training, health, public policy, and governance.

It wanted people skilled in community engagement, economics, finance, budgeting and banking, information and communication technology, telecommunications and broadcasting, business and industry, water and sanitation, science and technology, social cohesion and nation building, futures research and scenario planning, climate change, and youth development.

Nomination forms and eligibility criteria are available on www.thepresidency.gov.za.