Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 05 Dec 2023
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
TUESDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2023
PROCEEDINGS OF HYBRID NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Watch here: Plenary
The Council met at 14:02.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Procedures and processes of Council Sitting)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, allow me at this point to indicate that Rules and processes do apply for this hybrid sitting. Before we proceed, I would like to remind delegates of the rules relating to virtual and hybrid meetings and sittings, in particular subrules 21, 22 and 23 of Rule 103 which provides as follows.
The hybrid sitting constitutes a sitting of the National Council of Provinces. The delegates in the hybrid sitting
enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply in the sitting of the National Council of Provinces. For the purposes of the quorum, all delegates who are logged on the virtual platform shall be considered present. Delegates must switch off their video if they want to speak. The delegates who experience connectivity issues are encouraged to use the still photograph for identification on the virtual platform as has been the practice. Delegates on the virtual platform are encouraged to log on with one device only as logging with two or more devices further lowers the bandwidth. Delegates should ensure that the microphones on their gadgets are muted and must always remain muted unless they are permitted to speak. All delegates in the Chamber must insert their cards to register on the Chamber system. Delegates who are physically in the Chamber must use the floor microphones. All delegates may participate in the discussion through the chat room.
In addition, I would like to remind delegates that the interpretation facility is active. Permanent delegates, members of the executive, special delegates and the SA Local Government Association, Salga, representatives on the virtual platform are requested to ensure that the interpretation facilities on their electronic devices are properly activated to facilitate access to the interpretation services. Permanent
delegates, special delegates, Salga representatives and members of the executive in the Chamber should use the interpretation instruments on their desk to access the interpretation facility.
Hon delegates, before we proceed, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Deputy President, premiers present, MECs, Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Chief Whips and the president of Salga. To also extend this to special and permanent delegates and all Salga representatives in the House.
Ho delegates, I have been informed that there will be notices of motions or motions without notice. This takes us forward and proceed to the Adress by the Deputy President and the debate thereon.
ANNUAL ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES AND THE DEBATE THEREON: ACCELERATING THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES, SAFETY AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF ECONOMIC REFORMS FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA:
Chairperson of the NCOP Mr Amos Masondo, Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP Ms Sylvia Lucas, Chief Whip of the NCOP, Mr Seiso
Joel Mohai, Premier of the Eastern Cape Mr Oscar Mabuyane, the Acting Premier of Limpopo Mr Charlie Sekwati, Acting Premier of Kwa-Zulu Natal Ms Nomagugu Simelane, Premier of the Western Cape, all leaders who are provinces, the leadership of the SA Local Government Association, Salga led by its president uBaba Bheki Stofile, hon members and compatriots, today we stand on the shoulders of a great giant, the former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela who left us exactly on this day 10 years ago in 2013.
On an occasion such this we recall his wisdom and tenacity in fighting the apartheid system and dedication to building a united, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous society. We do not only recall but rededicate ourselves to the vision of our founding President that of building a better life for all.
It is therefore a great honour to deliver the last annual address to the National Council of Provinces on the last sitting of day for the Sixth administration despite it being my first annual address. While this moment mirrors the end of the Sixth administration, it also provides an opportunity to reflect and contemplate the future of governance in South Africa and the nation.
It is therefore appropriate that you have a theme for this address and debate, and I quote:
The indispensable urgency – accelerating the provision of social services, safety, and the advancement of economic reforms for economic recovery in the interest of the people.
As the theme suggests, the current situation requires immediate prioritisation and acceleration of providing essential services, ensuring individual safety and implementing comprehensive economic reforms for a swift recovery. These measures are crucial for a sustainable and prosperous future for our people and the people our country through social policy transformation. We cannot talk about the progress we have made in shaping the future of our people if we do not reflect on where we come from as a nation. Our journey as a leading political party started back in 1994. As an ANC-led administration we can unequivocally state that South Africa is in a much better place now than it was 29 years ago.
According to the 2022 Census Report, we have made significant inroads in undoing the legacy of decades of apartheid spatial planning and its consequences on the lives and livelihoods of
South Africans. We have accelerated the provision of social services over the past few years by investing in education, healthcare and housing, water and sanitation among other things. We have achieved progress in the following areas.
Children have had more access to learning opportunities with six out of 10 children aged 0-4 years having access to some form of early childhood development. The percentage of persons aged 20 years and older who completed secondary education more than doubled from 16,3% in 1996 to 37,6% in 2022. The prevalence of disability has declined from 7,4% to 6,0% between 2011 and 2022. In 2022, over 82,4% of households in the country had access to piped water either inside their dwellings or inside their yard. Access to electricity has risen to 90% of the country’s residents, up from 58% in 1996. Although this is expected as standard practice, the progress achieved in recent years indicates that efforts to ensure adequate access to social services have been accelerated.
Hon Chairperson, we cannot overemphasise the above progress and other significant inroads that our government has made in changing the lives of our people for the better without acknowledging the contribution of Parliament, especially the role of our delegates in the National Council of Provinces
which is constitutionally mandated to ensure that the interests of our communities where they reside and where they live are well represented at national level. Parliament has put in several mechanisms in the Rules of the National Assembly, the NCOP and Joint Rules of Parliament to ensure that the Executive is held to account. Some of these mechanisms involve questions for oral and written replies by the executive, oversight visits, public participation in legislative processes and NCOP Provincial Week – which the NCOP does to visit provinces and engage.
Using these mechanisms the executive can intervene and quickly respond to identified service delivery hotspots through targeted service delivery improvement plans. The National Council of Provinces further uniquely promotes the principles of co-operative government and intergovernmental relations. In this regard, the President has delegated me to assist him in implementing the District Development Model, DDM, by co- ordinating different spheres of government to develop One Plan. In other words one plan at the District level to improve service delivery challenges faced by our municipalities. We know previously that the national government particularly national Ministers would go to provinces and districts and engage in different activities that are not co-ordinated. Now
it is no longer the case. We co-ordinate. Our intervention and we work with provinces and municipalities.
We seek to reconfigure the design, planning and implementation of service delivery through the District Development Model. We seek to change the relationship between the spheres of government, the communities they serve and the stakeholders they need to work with. We have amended legislation to improve accountability and reduce corruption in local government, including adopting a Framework for the Professionalisation of the Public Service.
Whilst we ensure that the three spheres of government work together in performing their unique functions as provided by the Constitution, it is equally important to prevent the encroachment of various spheres of government in each other’s area of competence.
Hon Chairperson, let me take this opportunity to congratulate this House for working tirelessly to contribute to implementing the manifesto of our governing party, which is the ANC, particularly by ensuring that critical legislation is prioritised, processed and passed.
As of 24 November 2023, the Sixth Parliament has passed 119 Bills from 2019 to date. In our view, Parliament has done very well in processing priority legislative proposals particularly considering interruptions by July the 2021 unrests, the unfortunate burning of the National Assembly and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, despite these disruptions Parliament was able to pass 119 Bills.
On 29 March 2023, the Cabinet approved 42 Bills in the 2023 legislative programme, and as of Friday, 25 November 2023, 22 Bills have already been introduced to Parliament. As of 30 November 2023, there were 17 Bills before NCOP committees, and we remain optimistic that all of these critical Bills will have been passed by the end of this administration.
As part of our delegated responsibility as the Leader of Government Business in Parliament we will continue to engage presiding officers of Parliament, particularly the Chairperson of the NCOP, on several critical matters of executive accountability and those relating to the processing of key legislative proposals. We further call upon all stakeholders, including business, civil society, inside and outside the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, and more importantly, political parties, to take advantage of
parliamentary processes like public hearings, petitions, written proposals and other consultative fora to deposit their views, complaints and most importantly progressive proposals that will contribute to seamless processing of legislative proposals as delays in passing of critical Bills affects the provision of basic services.
Hon Chairperson, the Sixth administration committed to transforming the economy along a developmental growth path to create decent jobs. Shortly after making this commitment, the world experienced one of the most tumultuous and challenging periods in recent history, the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a devastating impact on every aspect of our lives. Due to COVID- 19, our nation has experienced over two million job losses and the closure of several businesses. We also experienced the violence of the July 2021 riots, where over 350 people tragically lost their lives and significant damage was caused to our economy.
Just as the world began to emerge from the pandemic, we were confronted by the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and adverse weather events caused by climate change. However, despite all these challenges over the past five years, the ANC government, in collaboration with labour, business and civil society, has
focused on building and growing an economy that serves all South Africans. This includes implementing income assistance measures for workers and the jobless significantly impacting their lives and families.
The temporary employment relief scheme provided wage subsidies to 5.7 million workers, minimising the impact of job losses and company closures. The R350 social relief of distress, SRD, grant benefitted nearly 10 million unemployed people, mainly young people and women. Whilst more than 16,3 million people are employed in our country, unemployment remains unacceptably high, with 8-10 million people on the expanded definition of unemployment being without a job. In light of this, we have established the Presidential Employment Stimulus which has benefited over 1,2 million people, particularly women and youth through public employment programmes like the Community Works Programme and Expanded Public Works Programme.
As government we aim to stimulate job creation by expanding private sector investment with an initial target of
R1,2 trillion over five years. Over R1,5 trillion in investment commitments have been mobilised exceeding this target. Many of these investment pledges translate into real
jobs and accelerate economic recovery in the people's interest.
Hon delegates, load shedding remains a stubborn challenge in our efforts to grow the economy. Load shedding has adversely affected the economy, people’s overall quality of life and the safety and security of citizens. To this end, the ANC-led government continues implementing the Energy Action Plan to end load shedding and achieve energy security. The plan includes five key pillars.
Firstly, fix Eskom and improve the availability of existing supply; secondly, enable and accelerate private investment in generation capacity; thirdly, fast-track the procurement of new generation capacity from renewables, gas and battery storage; fourth, unleash businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar; and fifthly, fundamentally transform the electricity sector to achieve long-term energy security. The Ministers responsible for energy will elaborate this early in the year.
Hon Chairperson, we remain unwavering in our commitment to opening the doors of learning for everyone. For example, we have made significant strides in enhancing early childhood
care providing nearly 100% attendance for children until the age of 15. The number of learners who passed matric increased from 78% in 2019 to 80% in 2022, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and load-shedding. The performance of learners from poorer schools is also improving, with the share of bachelor passes in no-fee schools increasing from 55% in 2019 to 64% in 2022. The number of students receiving the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, funding from poor and working-class backgrounds increased from 580 000 to 770 000 between 2018 and 2021. [Interjections.] I think the hon members from this side do not know what NSFAS is. I think we need a workshop. [Laughter.]
Moreover, health care is provided for over 50 million South Africans without private health insurance, ensuring that South Africans can rely on the healthcare system. To improve access to health care through the focus on primary health care, the ANC-led government has constructed 1 749 clinics and 56 hospitals since 1994 to enhance primary health care access.
However, there is still significant inequality in access to quality health care. As a result, the ANC government will continue to engage key stakeholders, including organised business and labour to find amicable solutions on critical areas that may hinder the passing of the National Health
Insurance Bill to enable every South African to receive appropriate standardised quality health care regardless of their ability to pay.
The National Health Insurance Bill is currently before the NCOP having received enthusiastic support from most participants during the public hearings in provinces. We remain optimistic that the NCOP will allow stakeholders to develop progressive solutions towards finalising this important Bill. We are a democracy anchored on dialogue and finding one another no matter the difficulty. We do hope that the National Health Insurance Bill will go through the NCOP. Or should I say that the National Health Insurance Bill will go through the NCOP as planned.
IsiZulu:
We ma izophasa.
English:
Nearly 18,6 million South Africans, up from two million in 1999, receive social grants, including 8,4 million receiving R350 monthly social relief of distress, SRD, grant introduced for the unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is widespread support for this social relief distress grant,
there are concerns that many deserving people are excluded from the grant and that the value of SRD has not kept up with inflation. As the ANC government we will tackle these exclusions and ensure that the value of the grant is reviewed.
Hon delegates, in 1994, only six out of 10 South Africans had access to clean drinking water. That figure has increased to nearly nine out of 10 South Africans. Today, two out of three South Africans have access to flushed toilets and eight out of
10 have improved sanitary facilities. These measures have enhanced millions of South Africans' quality of life and dignity. We remain committed to eradicating the indignity of bucket toilets, with the number of municipal bucket toilets declining from over 230 000 in 2004 to around 43 000. This is quite clear that we can eradicate this. Coming from where we were to 43 000, I am sure very soon will disappear from our communities.
As we meet here today, we are aware of the impact of crime on the lives of our fellow citizens. We all need to feel safe in our homes, schools, workplaces, places of recreation and also in our streets. We reiterate that gender-based violence has reached crisis proportions, affecting every community and touching the lives of most families. On 25 November, I was
honoured to launch the 16 Days of Activism Campaign on No Violence Against Women and Children. Various actors have made concerted efforts including the National Men’s Parliament through the Takuwani Riime Programme, which fosters discussions among men about dealing with the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, GBVF, in our communities.
Gender-Based Violence and Femicide along with high levels of crime pose a severe threat to the freedom and dignity of South Africans. The development of the Comprehensive National Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Prevention and the Integrated Femicide Strategic Frameworks signal a holistic approach to turning the gender-based violence tide.
Subsequently, we have strengthened the response of our criminal justice system to GBVF and improved the support provided to survivors through legislative reform, increasing the number of places of safety and a range of other mechanisms.
In broader efforts to prevent crime, government continues to invest in the upgrading and building of police stations as well as the purchasing and maintenance of vehicles. There is also a move towards greater use of technology for crime prevention, including surveillance cameras and drones in public spaces. During this past financial year, 10 358 new SA
Police Service members were enlisted, thus enhancing the capacity of the SA Police Service, SAPS, to fight crime. The security cluster is taking action to deal with the scourge of illegal mining that destabilises and terrorises our communities and undermines our economy.
His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Home Affairs officially launched the Border Management Authority which will help improve our borders' security and deal with illegal migration and the illicit flow of goods. Our ultimate aim is to see a safe and secure South Africa with less violence against women and children and an overall decrease in crime.
Hon Chairperson, steps have been taken to strengthen the link between the ordinary people on the ground and state institutions at all levels of government. South Africa has since 1994, consistently held regular, free and fair elections. As a government, we will continue to do everything in our power to protect the integrity of this democratic exercise even beyond 2024.
We have also introduced measures to tackle state corruption and patronage, including oversight visits by Parliament and
legislatures, spot checks in departments, investigations by our Chapter 9 institutions and measures such as lifestyle audits of public servants and stopping public servants from doing business with the government.
Having strengthened the audit process over the years, we have seen significant improvements in municipalities, provinces and various other institutions obtaining clean audits.
Considerable strides have been made in the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal with other provinces performing better. The fact that clean audits are increasingly being obtained is commendable. Clean, ethical and transparent governance is the bedrock of strengthening social services and accelerating development.
On 15 March 2023, the National Assembly passed the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Speech Bill. The NCOP Select Committee on Security and Justice recently adopted the committee report on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill. The finalisation of this Bill will mark a significant step towards the protection of all South Africans against hate crimes and hate speech, particularly those based on race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.
As I conclude, the NCOP is critical in strengthening democracy in our communities towards an equal, prosperous, nonracial and nonsexist society. We should all work together to address the collapse of many municipalities, which has had a devastating impact on citizens who must, daily, deal with sewerage spills, water shortages, uncollected garbage, countless potholes, unmaintained cemeteries and inaccurate billing systems. I urge you to continue playing your part to ensure that provinces are given an influential voice in the national legislative process so that we can work together to build a better country. Thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Siyabonga.
Tsonga:
Inkomu.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP (Mr S J Mohai): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP hon Masondo, His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa hon Paul Mashatile, the Premier of the Eastern Cape Oscar Mabuyane, the Premier of the Western Cape, hon Winde and the Acting Premier of the Limpopo province MEC Sekoati, president of SALGA ntate Stofile and hon members
and recognizing all others who are in the hybrid system. This is a hybrid system. We should not take it for granted. There are many others who are logged in this system. The NCOP is the intersection of the intergovernmental system, the national, provincial and local levels of government. I really want to greet you on behalf of the National Council of Provinces.
The annual address by the Deputy President, who also delivers his inaugural address since the Deputy President has taken office. It is therefore an important address addressed to the National Council of Provinces to discuss the progress and measures needed to create a better life for all. The Deputy President has cached on progress, on where we come from, where are we? What are the measures that will move us decisively forward. So, it is important. His address is appropriate for today’s occasion.
Hon Deputy President, we rise as the African National Congress in this debate this afternoon to convey to our people and the world the message of hope about the actions our government continues to take for economic recovery, reconstruction and development in the post-COVID-19 era and into the future, and we do so with great pride.
According to the latest International Monetary Fund, IMF, report, South Africa is the only country in Africa that has outperformed the pre-COVID-19 period in terms of economic recovery. The fact that many development finance institutions have cited the South African economy as the most resilient both during and after COVID-19 fills us with humility. This is the story of hope that we want to convey to our people. We will follow in your footsteps, Deputy President, when you do this account.
We do so without the slightest intention of exaggerating our successes or concealing our challenges and failures, but to tell the truth, even if it coincides with that of our adversaries. However, we note with concern that unemployment persists, especially among the youth of our country and among women, who today form the majority of society. Addressing this challenge requires a fundamental restructuring of our economy so that we can compete in the global economy.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the deepest global economic recession experiencing the Second World War, due to the disruptions of global value-chains and measures undertaken by governments. We significantly reduced economic activities to contain the spread of the virus.
The Deputy President has highlighted the Ukraine-Russia conflict, how also this has exacerbated the economic challenges due to their global market share of wheat and energy. When the war continues, there is no wheat that crosses the border and there is no energy supply. The conflict has had a global inflationary impact.
The current conflict between Palestine and Israel also poses a threat to the stability of the Middle East, which may have spillover shocks for the global economy. The IMF forecasts a decline in the global economy from 3,5% in 2022 to 3,0% in 2023 and 2,9% in 2024. Economic growth is a key issue that many nations are pondering in order to achieve growth rates that are higher than pre-COVID growth. Our domestic economy has not experienced sufficient growth in the last 10 years, which threatens the achievement of our national development goals. Our GDP is expected to fall from 1,9% in 2020 to 0,8 in the current year. This is the result of various internal and external factors.
The demand and supply constraints in the economy continue to impact economic growth. The government has placed the economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan as a key driver to accelerate economic, inclusive growth infrastructure development as a key
catalyst of the plan. The current economic indicators do demonstrate the progress of the Economic Recovery Plan, as the economy in quarter three of 2023 experienced a decrease of 0,7 of a percentage point in an unemployment rate.
We also have returned to pre-pandemic employment levels after losing about 2,2 million jobs which Deputy President highlighted which constitute part of the urgent matters ... In fact, there has been some improvement. We have also observed positive outcome in some of the sector masterplan. Sector master plans such as sugar cane plans and progress of the automotive sectors.
A notable success area of the Economic Recovery Plan is Operation Vulindlela, which seeks to respond to various regulatory and process constraints and red tapes. This has improved visa conditions, with e-Visa improving the turnaround period for water rights energy sector reforms which have increased green energy investment to name but few.
Hon Deputy President, the supply side of our economy has experienced challenges in the logistics sector, particularly the freight, rail and port efficiency. Rail continues to be an efficient and effective mode of transport globally for
commuters and goods. Our focus on rail transport and harbours should be located within a long-term trajectory. We seek to increase the transportation of goods through rail in line with policy of moving goods from road to rail, lowering transport costs, and ensuring efficiency which will enhance competitiveness of economy and lower the cost of transport for the citizen. We welcome the increase of commuter rail and the support of the Turnaround Strategy of Transport.
Chairperson, this professional howler here really bothers me. He is simply unstoppable in this mode. I think something really needs to be done with him.
The legislative and regulatory changes to enable private usage of the state rail infrastructure should not result in the assertion of public investment in increasing the number of state-owned trains. One of the major constraints undermining economic recovery, the Deputy President has highlighted it, is the electricity crisis. The economic loss due to load shedding has lower production and disrupted social life. The Deputy President has clarified this point. We welcome the dedicated focus on this crisis through the work that the Minister of Electricity is doing that continuously would yield results.
We welcome the Eskom Debt Relief Bill intervention, which will enable the entity to be financially sustainable. We are confident that in due course, the investment in the maintenance of coal-fired power station will yield positive outcomes and increase the energy availability factor in the short to medium term.
In the medium to long-term, the rapid increase in investment in green energy will further ensure energy security. And our strategic focus should be on achieving low-cost electricity, which will have a positive impact on the efficiency of our economy and stimulate industrialization. Another important key sector in a strategic economic factor is fuel. The rising cost of living is also triggered by the increase in fuel costs, which also exerts inflationary pressure on the economy. The BRICS expansion offers the country an opportunity to enter into a meaningful partnership for oil to reduce fuel costs.
Hon Deputy President, the context is within which our recovery is implemented, will continue to impact our Economic Recovery Plan. Still, there are fundamental aspects which require a focused approach to tackle the systemic and structural impediments to the economic transformation and inclusion. Our country remains the most unequal, an asset ownership is
concentrated within few, and the income inequality gap is also unjust. I hope you make your regular howling. The fact that many of our economic sectors are concentrated with few dominant players has an impact on the ability of the economy to redistribute resources equitably. And to enable those who are marginalized in the economy to participate in different economic sectors.
The aspect of Reconstruction and Economic Recovery Plan should be geared towards addressing the structural constraints that continue to reinforce economic ownership patterns of the economy. We must ensure that development finance institutions and pension funds are used to support small, micro and medium enterprises as well as black industrialists to de- differentiate and de-concentrate the economy. This is an important aspect of transforming the South African economy.
Currently 69,5% of sectors are highly concentrated. The top 10 companies account for 85,8% of the total turnover of companies, while the bottom 50% of companies account for only 1,6% of the turnovers. Without decisive action on beneficial ownership, the fruits of the economy will accrue to a few while the majority remain excluded from the mainstream economy. This is what you need to understand. Don’t blackmail
us into agreeing with your narrow understanding of how the structure of apartheid and colonialism have structured the economy of South African economy.
The structural transformation which entails the shift of resource investment in economic sectors with high productivity, such as agriculture and manufacturing is critical. One of the casual factors of the current decline in revenue collection is the freight problems impact on the mining industry. This implies that the colonial pattern of making colonial country economies extractive without beneficiation continues.
Our efforts for beneficiation remain critical in growing the economy and creating quality jobs. The government needs to target ... [Interjections.] ... Yes, you avoid real issues. The mainstream transformation as well of the mainstream economy.
The government needs to take strategic minerals for beneficiation. With the growth of green economy, we should be alive to the reality that many of the strategic minerals of a green economy arising in the country and the continent. Our
strategic perspective of the mineral complex should be geared to take optimal advantage of the growth of the green economy.
Hon Deputy President, the state should not be neglected when investing in green energy. Despite the need for more private investment by independent power producers. Energy remains a strategic sector that requires state investment. In line with the review of state-owned enterprises, SOEs, consideration should be given to the establishment of an energy company focused on green energy investment, or Eskom should increase its focus on developing green energy investment. The lack of investment will lead to a significant shift in the ownership of energy production in our country. For economic recovery to have an impact and drive economic growth that overcomes the triple challenges, fiscal policy that increases spending in areas with higher fiscal multipliers is also required. And our monetary policy should support these development goals. The financing gap in our economy can be addressed by co-ordinating fiscal and monetary policy.
In conclusion, I would like to say that we are confident that we will turn the tide and give all South Africans the opportunity to realize their potential and participate in the mainstream economy. You on my left believe that the solution
to South Africa’s problem is to achieve only minor efficiencies without addressing the core structural problem of our economy. To solve South Africa’s problem, we need to industrialize it. Thank you, Chairperson.
Ms D C CHRISTIANS: Hon Chairperson, today as we gather to address the very critical issues facing our country, we find ourselves at the crossroads. A moment that demands not just reflection but urgent and decisive action. Today’s annual address by the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa serves as an invaluable opportunity to assess the state of our country particularly within the context of accelerating the provision of social services, ensuring safety, and advancing economic reforms for the much-needed recovery which he grapples with dire economic situation, a crisis exacerbated by the failures of this ANC government, thrusting the majority of South Africans into a cost of living crisis.
As we delve into the multifaceted challenges we face from a weakening Rand and fiscal crisis to poor governance and misdirected economic policies, the grim reality demands more than the empty promises and unfulfilled commitments we witnessed in President Cyril Ramaphosa's state of the nation address in February 2023.
Now Chairperson, acknowledging the deepening poverty and inequality caused by the rising cost of living, the President's words have rung hollow as tangible progress remains elusive. The pledge to provide a minimum level of protection for all South Africans seem more like a rhetorical flourish, considering the glaring disparity between promises and actions.
The failure to address the escalating crisis of load shedding, directly impacting the livelihoods of millions, reflects the government’s ineptitude to ensuring the safety and well-being of all its citizens. The President's assurance of urgent measures to mitigate the impact of load shedding on food prices is yet to materialise, leaving many South Africans grappling with the harsh reality of increased living costs.
Furthermore, the commitment to expedite the provision of title deeds for subsidised houses, a critical step in empowering impoverished households has still not seen any significant progress casting doubt on this government's dedication to economic reforms and recovery in the interest of the people.
In this backdrop, we witnessed the tragic consequence of the cost of living crisis. Parents are resorting to unthinkable
acts due to extreme poverty, and children suffer the consequences of a government that drags its feet on the necessary reforms.
In response to this crisis the DA proposes tangible solutions. One, cut the taxes and levies on fuel to reduce the cost of transporting food. Two, scrap value-added tax, VAT on essential food items for the poorest households. Three, review and reduce import tariffs on food consumed by low-income households. Four, provide private titles to all land reform beneficiaries to increase food supply and security. Lastly, increase the child support grant to the official food poverty line.
These measures, hon Chairperson, if implemented, can provide immediate relief to our citizens facing the devastating impacts of cost-of-living crisis. It is time for this government to act decisively and prioritise the well-being of our people over political interests. The economic challenges are not extract. They are keenly felt by every citizen struggling with rising interest rates, unemployment and escalating food and energy prices.
Chairperson, let me give you an example, consider the plight of a middle class South African with a bond of say
R1,7 million, a car loan of R300 000, a person loan of
R50 000. In just two years this individual is burdened with an additional R5 438 month in loan repayments. A consequence of nearly 5% increase in interest rates.
The ripple effect is profound as families grapple with the harsh reality of needing an extra approximately R8 915 gross income per month merely to cope with the escalating financial burden, it's insurmountable. In the face of this economic turmoil, the ANC government's response has been woefully inadequate. Ill-conceived policies such as cadre deployment as well as the flawed model of black economic empowerment, having reached a select few while leaving the majority mired in poverty. State owned enterprises instead of being a catalyst of growth, have become a burdensome entity requiring continuous bailouts, draining the already scarce resources of our country.
The Deputy President earlier spoke about the efforts to curb the rise in gender-based violence yet none of these efforts have proven success over the years. Chairperson, we have also seen the collapse of the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre,
stemming from the termination of a beneficial partnership with Vodacom and a contractual dispute with brilliant telecommunications. This is indicative of the government's neglect of its citizens’ safety and well-being, particularly women and children.
Minister Lindiwe Zulu's decision-making lapses and subsequent negligence not only leave victims without essential support, but also cast a shadow over the provision of social services and public safety. This failure undermines the progress of economic reforms crucial for national recovery, adversely affecting the broad interests and the welfare of our people.
The impact extends beyond the immediate concerns of gender- based violence, reflecting a systemic breakdown with repercussions for social development as well as economic advancement. As we grapple the economic downturn, the ANC government’s lack of urgency and foresight is disheartening.
The proposed solution by the DA, including tax cuts on fuel, VAT adjustments on essential food items and increase support grants, present tangible path forward. However, the implementation requires the government to willing to
prioritise the needs of its people over political considerations.
The deteriorating state of social services, safety and economic advancement demands immediate attention, Chairperson. The ANC government’s ineffective economic policies have led to a significant underperformance of our economy with growth projections consistently falling short. The fiscal management is evident, as exemplified by the ongoing fiasco of state- owned enterprises and the overspending that now counts to 20% of total government revenue.
Looking forward, it is clear that the next five years in South Africa will be a rough ride if we continue on this trajectory. The ANC government's failures in local governments, state- owned enterprises and national accounts have set a precedent and without meaningful reforms, this situation is poised to worsen. That the gravity of the situation demands collective action, we cannot afford to let our beloved country descend further into economic despair.
The proposed interventions by the DA, coupled with the commitment to good governance, coupled with policies that genuinely uplift all South Africans offer a glimmer of hope.
Deputy President a few weeks ago, you were in the House, you assured me that the elderly in my constituency would receive their September grants despite communication between your office and the Department Social Development. They have not received anything yet. This raises serious concerns about this government's commitment to care.
Chairperson, let this debate not be a mere exchange of words, but a catalyst for change. The people of South Africa deserve more than empty promises and ineffective policies. It is our collective responsibility to hold this government accountable, to demand meaningful reforms and work towards the future where economic recovery, social services and safety are not mere aspirations, but tangible realities for all South Africans. I thank you, Chairperson.
Mr L O MABUYANE (Eastern Cape): Hon Chair, and greetings to you, hon Deputy Chair, His Excellency the Deputy President of our Republic, the Chief Whip, esteemed hon members of the National Council of Provinces, premiers and MECs, Salga president and his delegation, distinguished guests, I bring you festive greetings from the people of the Eastern Cape province. We appreciate the few minutes we have been allocated to contribute to the debate that we view as very critical,
because it is dealing with the bread-and-butter issues of our people.
In remembering President Mandela, I join the Deputy President in the words he said about this giant of our revolution. In contextualising the topic of today, allow me to quote our late President when he said, and I quote: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”
The topic, as it has been indicated says: Accelerating the provision of social services, safety and advancement of economic reforms for economic recovery in the interest of our people. This topic resonates deeply with our broad national developmental agenda, also known as the NDP. With the NDP, we envisage that by 2030, all South Africans should have a decent standard of living. The NDP says that a decent standard of living consists of the following elements: housing, water, electricity, sanitation, safe and reliable public transport, quality education and skills development, safety and security, quality health care, social protection, employment, recreation and leisure, a clean environment, and last, but not least, adequate nutrition.
We are seven years away from 2030 the year set ourselves to achieve a decent standard of living for our people in our country. As the Premier of the Eastern Cape said to the people: We are on the receiving end of the brutal policies of both the colonial system and apartheid regime. We can say here that the lives of our people continue to change for the better and I can say safely that the ANC-led government freed our people from that past through the implementation of progressive policies over the 28 years of our democratic vote.
The point I am making is affirmed by the Statistics SA in the Census 2022, as articulated by the Deputy President here.
Indeed, the lives of our people have changed. In 1994, sanitation access was at 64%. This has increased to 96% in 2022. In 1994, piped water was very low in our province. It has actually increased as well to almost 70%. In 1994, access to electricity was at 31,2% and now it is at 91%. We are making significant progress in education and health. In 2021, the life expectancy was at 54,9% in our province and this has improved to 66% in 2022. In 2011, our matric pass rate was at 58,21% and now in 2022, it was at 77%. We are actually gunning for 80%, now that our kids have concluded their exams.
It is the ANC-led government that is providing nutritious meals to over 9 million learners every school day. It is also the ANC-led government that developed and implemented the scholar transport policy that is benefiting millions of learners in South Africa, today.
We have put measures in place to fight poverty. In 2009, people accessing social grants were just above 800 000 and in 2022, that number has actually skyrocketed above a million. We have made tremendous strides to build shelter for our people, as directed by the Freedom Charter and the Constitution. In 2011, the Eastern Cape had the lowest proportion of people living in formal dwellings in the country, at 63,2%. In Census 2022, that number has increased to 83,6%. That is an increase of 20%, which makes the Eastern Cape the only province in the country that has recorded a higher percentage of formal dwellings in the past 10 years.
Working with Sanral, we are improving our provincial road network to enable and catalyse economic development in our province. Crime remains our biggest challenge that we are confronting, as we do everything in our power to thwart it. On that note, allow me to convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, ...
IsiXhosa:
yakwaBusakhwe eMnquma eNgqamakhwe.
... the family that lost their kids. Last night, two boys in the initiation schools were gunned down by people whom we don’t know.
IsiXhosa:
... nekhankatha labo.
English:
SAPS has assured me to leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of that.
IsiXhosa:
Siza kubakhangela sibafumane. Sifuna ela khaya liyazi ukuba loo nto.
English:
As per the report by Statistics SA, the Eastern Cape has dropped its high unemployment rate over the last 10 years by almost 10% over the last three years, with more investment coming our way. As we speak today, we have about 42 companies operating in our East London, special economic zone SEZ. We
have about 52 companies operating in Coega SEZ. These are things done by the ANC government to change the social economic outlook of our province.
From these hard facts, we can conclude without a doubt that the Eastern Cape is a better place to live in than it was in 1994, and that is the case for the rest of South Africa as well, as articulated by the Deputy President.
We are henceforth playing an active role in advancing the interests of our people through contributing towards national development and economic reconstruction. We are highly motivated that better days are coming on the global economic front. We want peace in the world. We don’t want war in Russia, Ukraine. We don’t want war in Palestine and in Israel, but Israel ... [Inaudible.] ... the lives of the ordinary people of Palestine cannot be tolerated.
While the President does this good work across, we are implementing various programmes and government projects that are meant to enable a better life to our people. This includes infrastructure delivery, which is the backbone of our development. We are supporting critical sectors like
agriculture and manufacturing to uplift our communities to create more jobs.
I am happy that the Minister of Finance has indicated that, in February, we will be able to articulate our road map towards the electric vehicles transition. A crucial aspect of our journey towards development is enhancing state capability. We recognise the need for an efficient, transparent and responsive government, as the Deputy President said.
The Eastern Cape is one of those provinces that has recorded a high number of clean audits. We have said to be number two, but I am not sure to what we are number two. However, as Eastern Cape, we are number one on clean audits. We are doing that work. We understand that real change cannot occur without the involvement of our communities. We are actively engaging our communities on ensuring that their voices are heard, and their concerns addressed in policies and actions.
The issue of crime, particularly gender-based violence and femicide is a war we will ultimately win. We are quite happy with the commissioning of the forensic lab in Gqeberha, which was opened by the President and the Minister of Police, to help us deal with the backlog we had in terms of the forensic
work to be done in dealing with cases of gender-based violence.
The challenges we face are complex and cannot be tackled by the government alone. We are fostering partnerships across government levels, the private sector, civil society and international bodies. This collaboration is vital in pulling resources, sharing expertise and driving innovation.
As we pursue our economic growth and developmental agenda, we are not overlooking environmental sustainability. We are quite happy with the message that the President is communicating at the Cop 28 in Dubai.
In conclusion, as we move South Africa forward, our commitment goes beyond words. It’s a pledge to action to build a South Africa that is prosperous, equitable, a united country and sustainable for future generations. No space for the opposition. Come 2024, we will show your way. Thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Nk L C BEBEE: Ngibonge Sihlalo weNdlu, ngibingelele kuSekela Mongameli osivakashele kule Ndlu namhlanje. Ngibingelele futhi
kusoSwebhu wethu oMkhulu ola kithi namhlanje, kanye noNdunankulu abala namhlanje, kanye nama-MECs esinawo. Ngingazikhohlwa kanjani izithunywa zethu ezikhethekile bakwethu esinazo namhlanje. Nezithunywa ezikhethekile zaKwaZulu-Natal uMhlonishwa uNtombela, nomhlonishwa u- Governder, bese ngibulisa ozakwethu esinabo namhlanje.
Ngiyabonga Sihlalo ngokuthi ngibe yingxenye yale nkulumompikiswano yanamuhla, enohlonze emnandi kakhulu. Sekela Mongameli usendlalele ukuthi sikwazi ukuthi sikhulume ngale nkulumompikiswano yanamhlanje. Njengoba sazi ukuthi izwe lethu lalikhungathwe ubhubhane lwe-COVID 19, kepha sabona ukuthi abantu bakithi abantulayo baswela imisebenzi. Kwabakithi abantu abantulayo kwabonakala ukuthi akukho ukuya emuva nokuya phambili, kepha lo hulumeni wethu esinaye, u-African National Congress, bakwethu wakwazi ukuthi athole icebo lokuthi labo bantu baphile kube khona le nto okuthiwa phecelezi i-social relief of disaster ekwazile ukuthi ibuyise isithunzi sabantu bakithi. Ngaleso sibonelelo abantu bakithi bakwazile ukuphila impilo engcono. Nocwaningo, Sekela Mongameli obulishilo iminyaka eminingi size sifinyelele namhlanje ezimpumelelweni eziningi uhulumeni azenzile kithi, kodwa ngingasho nje ukuthi...
English:
... despite discouraging perspective of the opposition would suggest that the grant may defer beneficiaries from actively seeking employment and encourage dependency on the state.
Research shows that the SRD grant increased the probability of employment of beneficiaries, thus demonstrating that the grant does not discourage people from seeking employment and participating in the labour market but rather enables it.
Therefore, Chairperson, it is due to the above-mentioned impact of the SRD grant that the ANC-led government has prioritised plans to create long term and sustainable mechanism to continue supporting our people through the basic income grant. In the interim, we applaud the allocation of R34 billion to enable the extension of the SRD grant until 2025. Thus, giving our government time to review the social grant system.
Chairperson, this extension of the SRD grant is particularly critical for the stability of our country given...
IsiZulu:
...njengoba bekashilo ucwaningo Sekela Mongameli ukuthi ngo 2022 babengakanani abantu, ngo-2011 nokuthi babe bangakanani size sifike kulesigaba esikuso namhlanje.
English:
This requires the government to strategise on how it will mitigate the negative effects and ensure how it meets its legal obligation of providing basic needs. Hon members, and hon Chairperson, with this increase the face of poverty in the country still has a profile of black with women, children, and members of LGBTQIA+ disproportionally affected by poverty and social ills. The constrained economy situation possesses a huge threat to a continued circle of poverty in black communities, which will be an indictment of this government for failing to release our people from the bondage of systematic and structural oppression which was inflicted on them for centuries stretching as far back as slavery of colonialisation.
Hon Chairperson, furthermore, despite the energy crisis the country is grappling with. We have noted that more than 90% of households have access to electricity for lighting and a substantial increase from the 58% recorded in 1996 ...
IsiZulu:
... okusho ukuthi Sihlalo wami ola ngaphakathi kuyacaca ukuthi lo hulumeni kaKhongolose ukwazile ukuthi akhiphe abantu abampisholo nabantulayo emakhaya, eGibhithe ngokuthi bakwazi ukuthi bake bathole nabo umbani, kusho ukuthi ugesi. Ngalezo zikhathi zobandlululo kwakuthiwa ugesi ngeke kwazeke ukuthi utholwe abantu abamnyama ngoba bazoxhoshwa yiwona bawujwayele, kodwa lo hulumeni wakwazi ukuthi ngisho umuntu ehlezi emkhukhwini wakhe akwazi ukuthi abenawo lo gesi. Sithi halala ke Khongolose ngalapho ngoba ...
English:
...shame come 2024 ...
IsiZulu:
... abantu bazosivotela nithanda ningathandi. Abantu bazosivotela siyabuya nje, kahle kakhulu. Yinto ekufanele icace leyo.
English:
Yes, hon members, and my Chairperson, in addition the ANC-led government has had numerous initiatives to capacitate critical groups in the society to stimulate economic growth such as through youth employment initiatives.
IsiZulu:
Sikubonile Sekela Mongameli uhamba kuzo zonke izifundazwe waze wafikelela naKwaZulu-Natal lapho ukwazile ukuthi uhlangane nezigungu zakhona, uNdunankulu wakhona uNomusa Dube-Ncube kanye noMphathiswa woMnyango weZomnotho uMhlonishwa uSiboniso Duma, nipha izinhlelo zokuthi intsha yethu, ngoba yayicindezelwe ngaleso sikhathi sobandlululo, bakwazi ukuthi baziphandele bazi ukuthi siphila kanje, hhayi ukuthi uzoqashwa kuphela. Cha, kubekhona okwenzayo lokhu okubizwa ngokuthi phecelezi ama-SMMEs.
Hhayi sikubonile Sekela Mongameli, wenze intsha yethu yaba nezinto eziningi kwakwazeka ukuthi ububha buthi ukuphela. Yebo, siyazi ukuthi akuphelele, siseza kancane kancane ngoba sivala leli gebe lobandlululo lwangalesiya sikhathi negebe lwamanje ukuze wonke umuntu afikelele kube yinto eyodwa, Sekela Mongameli. Ngakho ke, thina singuKhongolose, no hulumeni sizofikelela lapho bethanda bengathandi, injalo nje.
English:
Chairperson, inroads have been made regarding youth development with initiatives and creating employment opportunities ...
IsiZulu:
...njengoba sengichazile ngokuthi babe namakhono. Sasingazi ukuthi ingane yomuntu omnyama izokwazi ukushayela ibhanoyi. Sasingakwazi lokho ngoba kwakuthiwa eyabamhlophe kuphela kodwa namhlanje sinayo intsha ekwazi ukuthi ihamba iyofundela ezondizo [aviation.] Namhlanje sesishayelelwa yibona otakalane bethu abancane.
English:
We are very proud of the youth of today ...
IsiZulu:
...ekwazile ukuthi kuzo zonke izinhlelo enizenzile Sekela Mongameli, bakwazile ukuthi bakuthathele phezulu. Sikwazi ukuthi namhlanje sibe nesimo somnotho esinje. Siyazi sizothatha kancane kancane, Sekela Mongameli, kodwa siyogcina sesifikile lapho phezulu.
English:
House Chairperson, with the practical skills and work experience they need and triumph in society the progress in these initiatives is evident. In more than 250 000 young people being reached through the national pathway management
network as well as over 131 000 young people supported to access any opportunities.
IsiZulu:
Ngigxila lapho, Sihlalo wami ngoba ngifuna kwazeke ukuthi lo hulumeni oholwa uKhongolose uyikhathalele intsha ngokuthi kubekhona izinto eziningi ezenzakalayo nakomama futhi ngokunjalo.
English:
Chairperson, in this, it is also critical to emphasise the need of support...
IsiZulu:
... njengoba kade ngishilo, ama-SMMEs emalokishini kanye nasezindaweni zasemakhaya ayinto eyingqayizivele, into engakaze yenzeke kulabohulumeni bangaphambilini ukuthi emakhaya nasemalokishini kube khona nje intuthuko, wena owabona nje izinto eziningi ezenzeka emadolobheni. Yonke into iyenzeka nasemakhaya, yonke into iyenzeka futhi nasemalokishini. Ngakho ke sithi phambili ngalo hulumeni owenza izinto zenzeke.
English:
Hon members, and hon Chairperson, our effort toward providing a safety net for the poor and the vulnerable will continuously be undermined if we do not address the need to enhance our response and management capabilities and priorities climate change intervention.
IsiZulu:
Njengoba sabona ukuthi ukuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu yikona okusishaya kakhulu, ngoba abantu bakithi abazi ukuthi kufanele benzenjani, kuphi, kodwa ngiyaziqhenya ngeKwaZulu-Natal lapho ngiphuma khona ngoba bakwazile ukuthi kulokhu kuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu bakwazile ukuthi bafundiswe abantu basemakhaya, ukuthi uma kunje kwenzeka kanjani. Ngakho ngijatshuliswa futhi ukuthi kubekhona izinhlelo ezimayelana nokuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu ukuze kwazeke ukuthi abantu bazi. Yizinto zonke ezintsha kithi namhlanje ngoba ngaphambilini zazingekho.
Sasivele sishawe umphezulu kungabi ndabazalutho. Kodwa namhlanje sesiyakwazi ukuthi sikuthibe lokho ngoba sesifundisiwe ukuthi kuyenzeka.
Ngikhuluma nje bonke bale eDubai, kuyokhulunywa ngalo mbanda lo wokuguquguquka kwasimo sezulu besho ukuthi yinto enjani. Siyaqala ukuzwa ngazo zonke lezo zinto ngenxa yalo hulumeni owenza umbimbi namanye amazwe ukuze sikwazi ukuthi asicobelele
nathi sikwazi ukuthi isizwe sethu sihambe phambili. Enye into, Sihlalo wami ebuhlungu kulo mhlaba esiphila kuwo kunalezi zinhlekelele esinazo esingazi ukuthi ziqhamukaphi kanye nalesi vuvu sokushisha esinaso. Zonke lezo zinto ziqhamukaphi, kodwa siyathemba ukuthi laba abahambile baya le eDubai bazobuya bazositshela kahle ukuthi izinto zihamba kanjani ngoba sonke
...
English:
... we are part of it.
IsiZulu:
Yiyo indlela esesiphila ngayo namhlanje ukuthi sizofundiswa. Akungabi njalo, uma kunezinhlekele nokuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu bese kuthiwa uKhongolose okwenzile lokho. Cha, akungabi kanjalo. Ngifuna ukuthi nazi ukuthi okwenzekayo isimo saphezulu. Nina eniphikisayo senibambelele ekutheni i-ANC eyenze lokhu. Izinhlekelele zifike nayo, nakho konke. Akunjalo ngane yakwethu. Nina vumani ukuthi ushintsho selukhona.
Sikhona ...
English:
... and we are not going anywhere. You must live with that. As we observe the various natural disasters ...
IsiZulu
... njengoba bese ngishilo ...
English:
That is struck by our country, we are there to learn and it is a pity that whatever you learnt, you never knew that...
IsiZulu:
...uhulumeni womuntu omnyama...
English:
...is going to learn about it. This call for more investment in early disaster warning systems. Disaster’s preparedness training and evacuations strategies as well as capacitating emergency response units and sufficient resources personnel.
IsiZulu:
Sihlalo wami, ongaphambili.
English:
As the African National Congress government, we have committed ourselves.
IsiZulu:
Sizibophezele...
English:
... and made progress and strengthened our climate change response...
IsiZulu:
...ngokuthi siqwashise njengoba sisaqwashisa namanje.
English:
We are reducing greenhouse emission, encouraging recycling as well as prioritising renewable energy only through strengthening our response to climate change interventions that we will be effective and sustainably provide social protection for the most poor and vulnerable in our society. In conclusion, my Chairperson, although considering the progress that has been made to improve access to quality and affordable basic social services, we continue to fall short because we did not reach the desired development levels.
IsiZulu:
Siyawavuma amaphutha ethu. Asikaze siwafake ngaphansi kwetafula bakwethu. Wonke umuntu uyakwazi lokhu, kepha siyalungisa, kuyabonakala futhi kuyalunga.
English:
The development of this beautiful nation in our collective responsibility, regardless of our political affiliations. All sectors of society we serve our efforts must collectively be concentrated on restoring the dignity of our people breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the quality of life of our people for them to lead productive lives.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyabonga Sihlalo weNdlu ngokunginikeza ithuba.
Mr M J MAGWALA: Chairperson of the NCOP, let me take this opportunity to greet the Deputy President, the premiers, and members of the NCOP. I would also like to greet the premier of the ... [Inaudible.] ... of R100 million ... [Inaudible.] ... in East London in the Eastern Cape, while we are debating economic reform for economic recovery in the interest of the people. I also like to greet Mama B and say you know your political party it is a party that if I was in a relationship with ... you have been cheating for the past 30 years, but you still want another chance for South Africans to give you a chance. I don’t know what kind of relationship that would be in this state that we’re in.
Chairperson, the Deputy President Mr Paul Mashatile, in his annual address, did not demonstrate any meaningful achievements in relation to the provision of social services, safety, and advancement of economic reform for our people.
This is a country where 18,2 million people are living in extreme poverty and suffering. There is a country where more than 7,8 million of its capable workforces can’t find jobs because the state, under its current leadership cannot provide jobs. Employment is the most effective economic empowerment strategy for our people, more so for women, yet unemployment rate for women is 35,7%, which is higher than the national average. This is also a country where black majority is congested and squeezed into less than 20% of the land because the rest of the land is owned and controlled by those who colonized and took it from the African majority.
Our people are packed in townships, living in matchbox houses in a state of indignity, where crime is the order of the day. South Africa is today held to ransom by a gang of criminals who take life and property with impunity. In the midst of all of that, the state is woefully clueless, and have no idea what needs to be done to address dangerous high crime rate. I think the premier of the Western Cape is having nightmares because he can’t even stop extortion. We were told recently that a
businessperson was killed for selling fat cakes, but that the premier could not even stop such thing. Our people are living in diaspora in the Western Cape. Our schools where our children learn are dysfunctional. School buildings are poorly maintained, some have never been renovated and have unhygienic sanitary facilities. There are still no believable plans on building of those infrastructure or total abolishment of pit toilets in the province, such as the stoep province, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal, where the children plunge to their death in pit toilets, but the premier chooses to build a stoep of R87 million and it has now amounted to R100 million.
Our people, on daily basis, must contend with rising levels of unemployment, poverty, corruption, and the collapse of our state-owned enterprises, Mr Jamnadas is the champion of that. We are living in a permanent darkness due to the deliberate sabotage of Eskom, which is now on its knees. They brought a party pooper, Mr Electricity, but nothing has been done. Our economy is just a consuming economy where we are unable to manufacture or produce even the most basic consumer goods and services, such as a mere cellphone, television, cars, clothes, and many food items. What a failed state we are in. South Africa is a state of crisis, a social crisis which threatens the stability of this country.
The EFF has on numerous occasions and platforms constantly presented a concrete plan with regards to the provision of social services and advancement of economic reforms as we remain a shield for the defenceless, and a champion of state- owned enterprises. We have on numerous occasions proposed the idea of state-owned banks. We made the call for state-owned banks because we know that black people in this country are exploit every day and excluded from the economy. Our people are not able to benefit from the current banking system which is only interested in garnering interest and not in uplifting the lives of our people. We need a state-owned bank that will have a developmental mandate and work for the common good of every South African, including the poor, unemployed, and marginalized people. A bank that will also benefit domestic workers, street vendors, informal traders, and security guards without charging them abnormal rates.
The Deputy President in his address, also did not say anything about the nationalization of the SA Reserve Bank. You did not say anything about the establishment of a central bank that would exist for the common good of every South African, including the poor, unemployed, and marginalized. There is also no commitment made towards the agenda of giving our land back to our people. Our people still live in the apartheid
reserves created by apartheid, informal settlements, and shacks in Khayelitsha and Nyanga, Dunoon village and in Mdantsane. Luckily enough, these two premiers cannot disagree with this because they have been premiers now for second term, but still, they have not taken out the people of Mdantsane and give them formal houses. They are living on top of each other because they do not have land. We need to expropriate land without compensation - premiers of Western Cape and Eastern Cape - that is the only way we can restore the dignity of our people. We need to create jobs in this country that can only come about through a decisive state intervention of the economy. We need to own mines, banks, and land. Don’t be afraid of the white monopoly capital. Job creation will not come about under this administration, as Mr Ramaphosa said it is not his responsibility to create jobs. This was said by the President of a country whose unemployment is the highest in the world. [Inaudible.] ... a small thing to create a job to all South Africans. Our message is very clear and simple. The EFF is the last hope for jobs and service delivery, not the ANC, which always says we are trying. Even your Mama B came here to say you are being blamed for climate change. It’s because you are a cheater of the society. You can never be given another chance to rule this country, you have been given for 30 years, but you still want another five years to cheat
our people, our youth sitting in township and not having job opportunities - a mere smaller thing. We are the last hope for massive industrialization development to create millions of jobs. We are the last hope for free quality education for all, quality health care, sanitation, and better services. I hope these two premiers that are in the House, they would know that in Knysna and in Thembalethu, two people were turned back by the health authorities and those people have died because of
... [Inaudible.] ... their incompetence in their health care. It’s the same, the health care system in Eastern Cape is worse.
As we conclude, we therefore encourage all South Africans, young and old, to register to vote, vote for the EFF in the upcoming 2024 election and get rid of this party that have been promising our people freedom for more than 30 years. [Time expired.] I thank you.
Mr F J BADENHORST: Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President, premier in the House, Alan Windy, other premiers, hon members and fellow South Africans, good day. It’s always easier to speak after the ANC Youth League because you just mention VBS bank, and they switch off. ... [Interjections.] ...
The most common logical approach to problem solving is the three-step approach. Firstly, define the problem. Secondly, decide what you can do. And thirdly, take action. So, in accelerating the provision of specifically safety for economic recovery in the interest of the people, the most reasonable of people would argue that the definition of the problem would be borne out in the following statistics: Murders - 75 per day, sexual offences - a 143 per day, attempted murders - 75 per day, which is up 12% from last year, assault with grievous bodily harm intentions - 459 per day, common assault - 493 per day, common robbery – a 135 per day.
The latest crime statistics sadly paint a picture of a bloody war being waged against innocent women, men and children in South Africa on a daily basis. But these figures are the symptoms of a disease, Mr Deputy President. And that disease is the reign of Bheki Cele, as the Minister of Police. How can it be that a Minister is able to continue serving in his position when between July and September this year - three months - 6945 people were murdered in this country, and 10 516 people were raped - in three months?
When he was elected into office, President Ramaphosa promised to half violent crime within 10 years. Another empty ANC
promise. He’s now almost halfway through his 10-year period, and violent crime has increased exponentially in this country. It remains to be seen though, if the South African victim, oops, sorry, the South African voter will offer the President another five years to make good on that promise. I don’t think so.
But let’s get back to the cat in the hat. Under his watch, the
police have lost the service of more than 8400 detectives. These are highly skilled police officers who are critical to ensuring quality investigations, which lead to the successful prosecutions in our country. The reality is that the departure of so many detectives, the remainder is overworked and underpaid, with a case loads of hundreds of dockets per detective, making it impossible for any realistic change for some victims to fund justice.
But Minister Cele didn’t stop there. He actively targeted the SAPS reservist programmes to collapse, with SAPS losing more than 90% of its reservists since 2011. The collapse of the reservist programme is a devastating blow to the fight against crime, as the reservists have played a critical force multiplier role in supporting SAPS as it has faced declining numbers of personnel.
Cele targeted the reservist programme in his final act as National Police Commissioner. Remember those years? More than
10 years ago. Numbers declined sharply from 2011 when we had
52 000 reservists, when Minister Cele was the National Police Commissioner, and within one financial year - that is the year he was fired - the following year, we have lost an astonishing 63% of reservist numbers in this country. Since then, reservists’ numbers continued to decline steadily under another shock decline after Cele when he was appointed as Minister of Police. Within one year from 2019 until 2021-22 period, these numbers fell from 8707 to half - 4393.
Mr Deputy President, I could continue with more examples like the DNA testing backlogs of more than 50 000, 3981 police officers arrested for various crimes since 2019 and still being employed by SAPS today. Inability to hold rampant construction mafia which has direct influence on retorting economic recovery, and further list goes on.
Maybe it’s time to concentrate on the second step. How to fix a problem. Well, if you follow Premier Panyaza Lesufu’s advice from Mpumalanga, just tell Mr Cele his days are numbered and fire him. In the meanwhile, the Western Cape government will continue its fight to devolve. Amongst others, police
functions ... [Inaudible.] ... competent local governments in the Western Cape in line with our federal values and principles.
Thirdly, just go to check da.org.za and make sure that you are registered to vote. The most effective way to take action, to create the safe and secure South Africa for all, will be to rid South Africa of Bheki Cele and the corrupt ANC at the ballot box in 2024. Vote DA! Thank you.
Mr S F DU TOIT: Hon Chairperson, if you could get the Deputy President to maybe make use of the translating facilities.
Setswana:
Ke tla bua Afrikaans, Motlatsamoporesidente. O tla utlwa?
English:
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I guess what hon Du Toit is
trying to say is that let’s use the translation ...
Mr S F DU TOIT: Yes, hon Chair, especially the Deputy President. He addressed us earlier. I just wanted him to ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: ... facilities. But please proceed with the message.
Afrikaans:
Mnr S F DU TOIT: Agb Voorsitter, soos verwag het die ANC vandag daarmee gespog dat die regering oor die jare miljoene mense met sosiale toelaes gehelp het en om hulle van hierdie maatskaplike toelaes te voorsien.
English:
They boast that the social grant component has skyrocketed over the past 25 years. The South African social grant system is currently one of the world’s most expensive systems. In that an average of 18 million people are permanent beneficiaries of this grant system, and about 10 million people receive the temporary social relief of distress grant on a monthly basis.
Afrikaans:
Sowat 47% van die bevolking staan elke maand bakhand om toelaes te kry.
English:
Only 770 companies pay more than 60% of the of the country’s corporate income tax and of more than 60 million people in the country only 7,4 million pay personal income tax to fund the social relief fund system.
Afrikaans:
Die regering spog hiermee asof dit ’n prestasie is maar dit is as gevolg van julle dat meer persone in Suid-Afrika hulpbehoewend is.
English:
The urge to transform the economy and the promises of equal opportunities for all and equal financial status. But what is the truth?
Afrikaans:
Dit is waar dat die regering oor die jare miljarde rande spandeer het om hierdie maatskaplike toelaes uit te betaal. Dit is waar dat daar meer as ooit begunstigdes is wat maandeliks hierdie toelaes ontvang.
English:
But what’s also true is the current experience. We currently
experience the highest employment levels ever, over 40%. A
study by the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge found that South Africa has experienced unemployment levels of only 13 to 15% in 1994.
Afrikaans:
Dit beteken dat werkloosheid sedert 1994 in Suid-Afrika met 200% toegeneem het. Ten spyte daarvan dat miljarde rande op inisiatiewe vir werkskepping, swart ekonomiese bemagtiging, SEB, en regstellende aksie spandeer is ...
English:
... government still plays the race card when it comes to economy, blaming whites for the problems that they created. How ironic is it that an article published by the New World Wealth shows that the racial composition of South African millionaires has changed tremendously. They found that during the period 2007 to 2015, the number of white millionaires in South Africa decreased by 42%, whilst the number of millionaires of previously disadvantaged backgrounds, grew by staggering 179%. BEE, black economic elite, black economic enrichment and the average South African bears the brunt of money that’s being squandered and a select few that gets the benefit of this.
Afrikaans:
Misdaad en kriminaliteit as gevolg van die hoë vlakke van werkloosheid het toegeneem en hierdie sogenaamde voorbeeldige regering ... Hierdie Adjunkpresident is die laaste persoon wat kan noem dat hy vir die welstand en veiligheid van Suid- Afrikaners omgee. Die regering spandeer meer as R3,3 miljard op sogenaamde VIP protection [BBP-beskerming] waarvan hierdie Adjunkpresident se beskerming ’n groot hap vat, en in die proses in helder daglig persone op ons snelweë aanrand, skop en slaan.
Die SA Polisiediens, SAPD, beweer dat daar een vrou elke
36 sekondes in hierdie land verkrag word. ’n Totaal van
75 persone word daagliks vermoor en die Internasionale Polisie Organisasie, Interpol, het Suid-Afrika benoem as ...
English:
... the rape capital of the world with only 8,6% of the rapists that’s being convicted. The fact is that many women stay in abusive relationships as a result of the socioeconomic challenges and economically unhealthy environments created by ideology, maintained by the government and worsened by BEE and affirmative action, joblessness and a lack of sufficient and emotional support. In closing, ...
Afrikaans:
... hierdie regering is vinnig om politiek van misdaad en geweld teen vroue en kinders te maak maar in werklikheid voer hulle die monster van verwoesting wat verwoesting saai en gesinne verpletter deur meer oor hul eie veiligheid as die van die landsburgers besorgd te wees.
Staan weg van die trog en gee Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid om self te werk, deel aan die ekonomie te neem en self te bou aan ’n beter toekoms. Verkiesing 2024 gaan die bepalende faktor wees, Adjunkpresident. Suid-Afrika, ons het die mag om in 2024 ’n verskil aan ons eie toekoms te maak, ’n einde aan die ANC te maak, daardie kruis te trek en met waardigheid van die stembus af weg te stap. Dankie Voorsitter.
Mr S C SEKOATI (Limpopo): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Masondo, His Excellency, the Deputy President, hon Mashatile, hon Chief Whip of the ANC, hon members of the NCOP, and our premiers who are in this august House, in particular the premier of the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape premier present. According to the recent data, South Africa has the highest income inequality in the world, with a Gini coefficient of around 0,67%.
Statistics shows that as in September 2023, the top 0,01% of the people - just about 3 500 individuals in our country, own about 15% of all the total wealth of the land. Undoubtedly, this indicates the stubbornness of the legacy of apartheid and colonialism in our country, hence the battle against the triple challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment must remain inexorable.
Despite the economic slowdown and the financial challenges in our country, our recent Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS, in Limpopo was designed to support the national government’s resolve on the macroeconomic strategies that focuses on the need to enhance the competitiveness of our economy and consolidation of our fiscal position. It pointed to the importance of all links between an improved growth performance and the sustainability of government, social and development programmes.
We also emphasised the importance of redistribution in government expenditure priorities and the role of sectoral performance in meeting the basic needs and improving services to our people. It has indeed accentuated our commitments on economic growth that is translated into allocations through appropriate social development programmes and economic
empowerment, and that deliberate promotion of employment creation in our province. I’m sure that if you look at the recent Statistics SA, that will prove that indeed we are committed to employment creation as a province.
As we continue with our 16 Days of Activism against Gender- based Violence, we remain motivated by the success in bringing to book Gender-Based Violence and Femicide perpetrators. With all the hard work, it remains shameful that attack on vulnerable people also rears its ugly head, with a total of 21,3% increase in sexual offences in Limpopo in the third quarter of 2022-23 financial year. And accordingly, the provincial government, working together with the police commissioner, is working on multidisciplinary crime awareness initiative, to eventually get gender-based violence and sexual offences cases to a zero rate.
Deputy President, in ensuring our commitment to the acceleration of the provision of social services, safety and the advancement of economic reforms during the 2023 MTBPS, as Limpopo have increased our budget from the main appropriation, in order to make sure that we continue to support those areas that will bring about the growth in the economy, which is economic development and tourism, education, but also
transport and community safety to make sure that we’re able to create more infrastructure in terms of roads, but also economic routes that connect our people to those places of work.
Furthermore, we are also proud to report to this august House that we concluded the launch of all chapters in the District Development model in the five districts of the province. This model remains important to us as a rural province as it narrows the distance between the people and government, but also by strengthening the co-ordinating role and capacities of our local government, as well as helping us to improve the coherence and impact of government service delivery within our municipalities as they are critical centres of service delivery and economic development and job creation.
In conclusion, at the centre of the overall strategic objective of the province, remains the creation of economic opportunities and enabling environment for our communities and individuals to access these opportunities, whilst providing a safety net in the form of social assistance and the provision of basic services continues to be critical in all our efforts. Fundamental to this resolve is the maintenance of an overall economic growth through substantial investments in economic
infrastructure as well as appropriate fiscal management, targeting government supported measures that will create economic opportunities on a mass scale through the development and support for growth in sustainable labour-intensive activities and a substantial expansion in public employment schemes in the province. And I would like therefore to thank you as well for giving me this opportunity to participate in an inaugural annual address to the NCOP by His Excellency, the Deputy President.
Sepedi:
Ke a leboga.
Xitsonga:
Ndza khensa
Tshivenda:
Ro livhuwa.
Mr A WINDE (Western Cape): Chairperson, Deputy President, premiers, hon members, it’s an honour to be here today to be part of this debate. I first want to say that part of this debate with a theme: “Accelerating the provision of social services safety and the advancement of economic reforms for
economic recovery in the interests of the people.” Now I look at that statement and I think to myself, if I had to read that out in a public meeting, anywhere where citizens are, they would laugh at me because quite frankly, listening to or looking at this, and whoever was the person who put this forward, Mr Deputy President, they almost certainly put it forward to help you fail. I presume that that person would have to probably appear before disciplinary committee at Luthuli House, although when they get there, I’m sure there will be no chairs, no furniture, no computers, probably not even a water cooler.
But also, when you look at the statement and I look at the provision of social services, the first thing I think of is the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa. The SA Social Security Agency and the ANC are totally failing the citizens of this country. The poorest of the poor, are being failed by the ANC in this country. In actual fact, in South Africa, it is the poor who pay for the ANC failure. And I will show you in this debate how every single time when the ANC fails, it is the poor who pay for it.
But, at least there is some hope, and that hope is in the Western Cape. And I will show that to you. I will show that to
you as well. Perhaps just to start off - when I talk about parts of this debate and what I’ve heard already, I heard somebody talking about we should give the pension funds towards helping our economy in the future. Well, I’ll tell you what, why doesn’t this House take a resolution that the ANC members in this House will give Eskom their pension money to work with, and let’s see what happens with that. Or why don’t the members of this House give their pension funds to Transnet and see what happens, or even to the ANC at Luthuli House and see what happens to their pension funds. Or perhaps getting back to Sassa, I think this House should pass a resolution that the Minister in charge of Sassa payments and the administration in charge of Sassa payments should only get their salaries once the Sassa beneficiaries are paid. [Interjections.] Let the people - the most vulnerable, get paid first and when they are paid then pay the Minister. I promise you, then you’ll see it fixed. Right now, it will continue failing the poor every time the ANC fails, the poor actually have to pay for it.
Let me start by talking about the current budget that we are dealing with. I’ve listened to some of the other provinces, but what I don’t understand is why provinces are not protesting like we are. Because right now, failed ANC policy
in South Africa is causing massive budget cuts and agreements centrally to give government officials, not inflation increases, but above inflation increases, and then pass that on to the provinces. What has to happen in our province? We have to cut services to the poor - in other words, the poor are going to have to pay for above inflation rate centrally agreed salary increases. We have to cut R1,1 billion. I’m not sure what Premier Mabuyane has to cut, but I’m sure it’s more than my R1’1 billion. I see that in KwaZulu-Natal they are going to overspend by R10 billion and it is not funded. Who is going to pay at the end of the day? The poorest of the poor by failed ANC policy and ANC decision-making. The poor always end up paying and that is totally unacceptable.
Let us think about the energy crisis. What does the energy crisis cost the economy at the moment? It costs nearly
R1 billion a day. What does Transnet’s failure cost the economy every single day? It costs nearly R1 billion every single day. These are ANC failures and when they fail, who do they fail the most? The poorest of the poor.
In this province, we have some hope. We have an energy plan, a 5700 MW energy plan that makes us totally resilient to Eskom or even independent of Eskom when our plan is completed. We
won’t have load shedding at all. Already Cape Town two levels of load shedding is different to the rest of the country. We have already started a plan for one small town to be load shedding free. The tenders have not only gone out in Cape Town, but also in Saldanha Bay. We have seen what is happening in George; we are seeing what is happening in Mossel Bay and just about to go out in Stellenbosch. These are energy plans. They are energy plans to make sure that we are resilient.
The private sector, the businesses and the wealthy have put in 4,5 GW of power - this is solar power inverters put into their households. Who does not get that? The poorest of the poor do not get that. So, every time Eskom fails and there is no energy for the citizens, those middle-class people and those businesses, their lights stay on, but the poorest of the poor, who cannot afford food, who cannot afford candles anymore, let alone paraffin, they are the ones that pay for ANC failure. It is totally unacceptable that every single time, no matter what the ANC says or professes, it is the poorest of the poor that pay.
I heard the Deputy President talk about the DDM. Now, I have to respond to that because, quite frankly, that again is a massive failure. Have a look at local government where
services are supposed to be given to the citizens - to the poorest of the poor. That is where absolute failures happened. So, they say where local government is not succeeding in delivering services to its citizens, they escalated to the District Development Model.
For five years we have heard about the District Development Model and all what happens is that services at local government get worse. I listened to the hon member from the EFF, he should hang his head in shame. He spoke about Knysna. Do you know that his party is in power in Knysna at the moment. And it is in Knysna where the rubbish pile the province had to clear up because they could not clear it up. But worse than that, the citizens of Damsebos, Khayalethu ... [Interjections.] ... Nekkies, Oupad and 7de Laan have been drinking water for nine days with a body floating in the reservoir. That’s where his party is in power. He has the audacity to even come here and talk about Knysna. He should hang his head in shame. ... [Interjections.] ... The citizens are drinking water with a body floating in the water. You cannot even get the body out of the water. That is totally unacceptable! Who is paying for that? It is the poorest of the poor. ... [Interjections.] ... But the hope comes from the Western Cape. The hope comes from the Western Cape.
Let’s talk about where jobs are created, not in places in this country like the Eastern Cape Volkswagen, which is now announcing that if things do not come right, they will leave. We have heard Ford saying the same thing. Thousands of jobs at stake because of the failure of the ANC. The poorest of the poor who work in those companies, luckily at the moment have a job, but these companies are going to exit.
You know, they have not even fixed the canals that flooded out the Toyota factory in KwaZulu-Natal. They have not fixed that yet - two years later! One more flood, that factory is going to wash away again, and Toyota will also leave South Africa.
Again, the poorest of the poor have to suffer. But let us look at the jobs in the Western Cape. In the last quarter, we then saw unemployment drop again and now 20,2% is our unemployment rate. It is still way too high, but the lowest by far in South Africa - 11,7% lower than the South African average of unemployment and broad unemployment is at 15,6% lower. There are 305 000 jobs created in the last quarter on quarter in the Western Cape. It is by far the highest out of any province in South Africa.
This coming season, we have 215 international flights from across the world in Africa, every week landing in Cape Town
with tourists, starting now. There are 33 000 tourists arriving every single day, creating jobs. Our agricultural season saw a 20% growth last year - 20%! That is when the rest of the country can’t even find 1% GDP growth. We are going to see in this quarter what we saw a year ago when South Africa created 169 000 jobs and 167 000 of those 169 000 came from this province - the Western Cape. You should wait for the next quarter jobs, we won’t just be the highest in South Africa of
305 000 jobs, we are going to be way higher than any other province in this country because that is where the hope comes from. Nothing stops a bullet like a job. Nothing gives you dignity like a job. And nothing puts food on your table like a job. The DA makes the difference, and we give the hope to South Africa. Thank you very much.
Cllr B STOFILE (Salga): Chairperson, the Deputy President of the Republic, Premier Winde, Premier Mabuyane, the acting Premier from Limpopo, and other executive members from the provincial government, and hon members, I stand before you today to address a matter of profound importance. A matter that lies at the heart of our responsibility as representatives of the people. The topic at hand that says: Accelerating the Provision of Social Services, Safety and the
Advancement of Economic Reforms for Economic Recovery in the Interest of the People.
All of us in this room, we are as a result of the elections that the people betrust their hopes to us that at all material times will strive to deal with the challenges that they are confronting them. Today marks about 23 years on this day, local government in South Africa, the first local government that was elected in 2000, was ushered in on the 5 December. It is a month in which as the local government was ushered in, Doctor Nelson Mandela, as it was referred to by the Deputy President of the Republic, said:
Ushering of this sphere of government is an important stepping stone towards dealing with matters of economic challenges, social ills and all ills that the society is facing and working together using the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act that the government as a single unit had to act on behalf of the people.
Therefore, I believe it is a correct thing to think about how do you co-ordinate your government activities and government decided to call it DDM, and if you find and see the DDM and read what is written in the Intergovernmental Relations
Framework Act is the responsibility of government to put systems so that it acts together, plans together, deliver service together so that it can be impactful to the lives of our people.
The daily lives of our fellow citizens are deeply intertwined with the effectiveness of social services. The assurance of safety and the progress of economic reforms. We should all accept that there can be no proper enjoyment of freedom and human dignity while some in our population are ravaged by poverty. Brought about the inequality in the distribution of economic resources of our country. This is the legacy of our past that we must face as we seek to decisively transform our country to one, where all enjoys the prosperity it offers. We have side by side, the worst form of deprivation and object poverty.
We need to find better ways to spread the resources and rescue our people from the inhumane conditions under which they live. It is our duty as government as a whole, as a single unit, in partnership with the private sector, to double our efforts and bring about conditions for an inclusive economy and reduce social inequality gap that exist in our people. The social package that is composed of government support to the
deserving citizens is inclusive of the social security grant for the elderly and the people with disability, the sick, the children, the unemployed, the military veterans, free access to health care services, inclusive of maternity and postnatal care, the free education system from primary to matric, supporting tertiary education through and is first the Expanded Public Works Programme, the internship and exposure to work support programme, the access to free basic services for indigent households, social insurance arrangements such as the Unemployment Insurance Fund and social relief comprising of short-term relief fund for major disasters such as fire, floods or other natural disasters, including the social relief of disaster grant.
Salga believes that all these contribute to closing the social inequality gap and are supported by access to sustainable basis services and thriving economy. The District Development Model one sector is meant to plan together is a vehicle to pull in all government resources together to deliver the basic needs of our communities. For communities to thrive, a safe environment free of threats where people do not live in fear is crucial. Yet, the life realities in our communities reflect serious challenges on these fundamental human needs to feel safe and free of fear. Community safety cannot be delivered by
government alone. It requires the whole government system, the whole society, the whole business, to approach as a united voice moving forward.
This is in line with what it was said in the National Development Plan Vision on safer communities with an aspiration that in 2030 people living in South Africa feel safe at home, at school, at work, and they enjoy a community life free of fear. Women walk freely in the streets and children play safely outside. Mainstream community safety in all government efforts, in all spheres of government, putting people at the centre seems no longer an option, but a necessity to realise the NDP Vision 2030 on community safety. Salga has developed a position paper to guide local government on how to institutionalise community safety and the centrality of local government in co-ordination efforts, including crime prevention through urban design and by law enforcement capacity. An environment free of crime and fear attracts and retains investment into our country and its various localities.
Deputy President, we wish to say that we are worried coming to this meeting, hearing that once again, a councillor and the ward committee has been hailed with bullets in the Ubuhle
municipality, somewhere in South Africa. And this, if we are not dealing with it, it’s a threat to democracy. It’s a threat to democracy because it counterposed exactly on our efforts and the journey that the government is trying to put together of professionalisation of local government. Therefore, killing individuals that gave their lives in making sure that they service our people and thereby being threatened, and being killed so that they can give in on the wrong things that are happening in municipalities by members of public gangering themselves and calling themselves in different groups that would take over projects. So, we are saying it is important that the government and this House, it must spend time in looking into this issue because it is a threat to democracy.
It is worth reiterating once more that our mandate as local government in relation to social economic development is that of being an enabler and facilitator. We are therefore duty bound to see to it that we create the most fertile operating environment for business and communities to strive, flourish by amongst others, lowering the many regulatory and systemic barriers that make it difficult for business to establish and grow. We have a duty to cultivate an environment wherein business, will not just survive but truly flourish and our communities benefit so that the nation grows.
We are firmly on the trajectory of economic recovery, despite this road being tight with pitfalls and challenges. Many precipitated by the volatile global economy. We remain steadfast and resolute in our belief as you could through collective efforts, we can change the fortune of our economy. Through this journey, local government will serve as a beacon, a point of reference, as we navigate this unchartered terrain. This district based economic recovery plan, which is pivotal on the 44 district, eight metros in testimony of the centrality of local government in the country’s economic future.
Salga is of the firm belief that district development model and metro space offers the appropriate scale and arena for intergovernmental planning co-ordination. That being said, we implore that all those that are in government plan together, synchronise their planning, integrate development of municipalities. This is a particular significance as IDP process as subject to vigorous public participation processes and as such they reflect the need of ... [Inaudible.] ... by participation. Thank you very much. [Time expired.]
Mr V R SHONGWE (Mpumalanga): Hon Chairperson, let me formerly greet you, and the presiding officers in the National Council
of Provinces, NCOP, because of time, Members of Parliament, MPs, of the NCOP premiers from different provinces, MECs, I want to take this opportunity to say all protocol observed. On behalf of my Premier, Refilwe Mtsweni Tsipane, from Mpumalanga as an Acting Premier of Mpumalanga on her behalf, I want to take this opportunity to start by saying that we are coming from an impact of the COVID-19. Results from the Census 2022, bear testimony to the efforts of the ANC-led government. I want just to via few issues hon Chairperson, to say that that the Premier of the Western Cape is saying we must learn something from the Western Cape. I do not know whether we should learn the issue of the taxi uproar in that particular arear and the commotion that was and is happening in the Western Cape.
Also the issue of the ... [Inaudible.] ... Premier of KwaZulu- Natal which to me whoever was saying, it was very sarcastically. We will as Mpumalanga just give proper examples of how to run the government. For an example, let me refer you to much respected Bureau of Economic Research which is commonly known as BER at the University of Stellenbosch from the Western Cape who have confirmed that they have been an improvement on the whole range of indicators between 1996 and 2022, including access to water, sanitation, electricity,
social grant, education the number of people with at least matric.
As a country and specifically the province of Mpumalanga we can take comfort when the much loaded BER confirms that and I quote:
Overall the census results show that indeed most of South Africans are better off in terms of housing, access to municipal services and electricity than in 1996. However, there are still too many households that live in poor conditions and there are a glaring disparities across the regions and municipalities.
We will not deny as an ANC-led government that life is difficult for our people. We acknowledge that more can be done.
The Mpumalanga Province is home to 5,1 million or 8,3% of the national total population of the country according to the Statistics SA Census 2022. In 2022, 49,5% or approximately, 2,3 million of Mpumalanga’s population live below the lower bound poverty line of R945 per capita per month.
However, it is worth noting that Mpumalanga’s population share below lower bound poverty line which is commonly known as LBPL, improved from 64,3% in 1996 to 49,5% in 2022. Together with providing income security to certain income insecure groups, the payments of grants made a positive impact on poverty and income inequality, in Mpumalanga. I do not know which SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, is Western Cape talking about.
By July 2023, the number of grants paid to citizens in Mpumalanga increased to R1,63 million or 8,6% of the total number of national grants. The province is focussing on ensuring that the social welfare is transformed. Increasing access to comprehensive social security system and implementing practical and sustainable community development interventions.
Hon Chairperson, without a doubt the work of successive ANC provincial governments over the past 29 years, is indeed commendable in the country and especially in our province of Mpumalanga.
Hon members will recall that Mpumalanga was formed as an amalgamation of many former homeland territories and so-called
Bantustan which was created by the apartheid government which was part of the DA. This sad history and reality has to be taken into account as we strive forward to deliver for our people.
Recent analysis done at Harvard University confirms what we already know that our country has a history of spatial exclusion, associated with lasting unemployment and poverty. As we know and is confirmed by analysis, until 1994, when apartheid policies were dissolved, large parts of the South African populations purposefully excluded for some of the countries’ most economically productive and precarious regions. It is therefore hardly surprising that the provincial economic performance has not been encouraging to say the least.
In 2022, Mpumalanga’s growth was lower than the national growth of 1,9% and the third of slowest overall. The Mpumalanga Provincial Government has adopted the Mpumalanga Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, MERRP, and is aligned to the national plan prioritising specific areas that are relevant to us as Mpumalanga.
The MERRP aims to address the covid negative impact of COVID-
19 on the provincial and the livelihood of its citizens. The priority areas of the MERRP are the following: The roll-out of infrastructure for an example improvement of tourism, roads infrastructure. Industrialisation through localisation and export promotion that is, ie, establishment of the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market. Trade Industrial Technology Parts and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone. Energy Security and Green Economy that is, ie, recycling and waste to energy. Employment stimulus that is, ie, increased to access to funding for Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises, SMMEs, and co-operatives. Tourism, cultural and creative industry that is, ie, Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains and World Heritage Site. Agriculture and food security that is, ie, increase in agricultural production. We call it in Mpulanga, Zonda indlala. [Hate starvation.]
As the world eagerly awaits the outcomes of the United Nations Conference of Climate Change of COP 28 being held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, let me request hon members to note that for Mpumalanga addressing climate change means strengthening adaptation measures to improve the resilience of individuals, communities and human settlements to extreme weather events.
It is also required sharp reduction in green houses gas emissions the population that drive climate change, the decarbonisation of the electricity sector has been identified as a central climate action priority.
Our province Mpumalanga in line with advice from the Presidential Climate Commission, PCC, is positioning itself and setting up the foundation to ensure the success of a just transition. In line with the PCC Framework, a just one that puts people at the centre of decision-making especially those impacted the poor with people with disabilities and the youth empowering equipping the m for a new opportunity of the future.
Hon Chairperson, because of the time I will leave the House there on the note that you should not panic when the DA and other parties are talking and criticising the ANC-led government. We are on the right track. The jealousy is informed by the direction that we are taking. Thank you very much.
Mr N M HADEBE: Hon Chairperson and the hon Deputy President, the economic growth should be on the creation of a citizenry which is self-reliant and self-sustained. However, considering
that 18,2 million South Africans live in extreme poverty and 7,8 million South Africans are unemployed, this goals seems far out of reach.
A recent study has revealed that 47% of the South African population rely on a monthly grant. Of this, 18 million are permanent beneficiaries and about 10 million receive a temporary Social Relief of Distress Grant.
While the IFP is in full support of accelerating the provision of social services such as social grants to all South Africans who are in need, for it to be truly in the interest of the people, we need to ensure that South Africans are equipped with the necessary skills on how to manage these funds.
South Africans are amongst the most innovative people in the world, therefore whilst we note social grants are spent largely on food, there is growing evidence that they are also used for productive investment in livelihood activities.
Therefore there needs to be a substantial investment made in local businesses in boosting entrepreneurial skills development and in providing all South Africans with access to opportunities that will aid them in knowing how to manage their finances regardless of how much or how little it may be.
On the issue of safety in our communities, there is still so much that needs to be done, especially in yet another killing of a well-known former sports anchor and spokesperson for the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. If someone as influential as this could not escape the consequence of the severely lacking law-enforcement services in KwaZulu-Natal, what chance does the most vulnerable have of survival?
We simply cannot continue to pay our condolences to lives lost, whilst allowing for these acts of violence and crime to continue. Therefore, it is in the interests of the people that we call upon the SA Police Service and all related entities to step up and keep our communities safe by increasing a number of police recruits to ensure that there is enough manpower to protect our citizens. Our people do not need elaborate promises of social service delivery or well-crafted economic reformed policies, what they need is for the government to take the pragmatic approach regarding the challenges they are facing. I thank you, hon Chairperson.
Mr J J LONDT: It’s good to have you in the chair, hon Rayi. Hon Deputy President, to all the premiers, to the one competent one as well, hon members ... Hon Deputy President,
you started off by stating that South Africa is in a better place than before, and without a doubt there is no one that wants to go back to pre-1994. So, that is a fact. However, let me share an uncomfortable truth with you, hon Deputy President. When a government actually delivers, they will punt those highlights and they will brag about the successes.
However, because you have not delivered over the last
29 years, you kept harping back to 1994. The thing is, we are on the cusp of yet another election and although there are some successes that should be acknowledged, it is irresponsible to ignore the red flags. More people do have access to electricity, when the power is actually on. More people do have access to water, when the taps are not dry. More people have access to the job market but if we only had a growing economy, those people will be able to access that market.
So, let's start with access to education. You bragged about a higher matric pass rate, yet you have lowered the standards for matriculants to pass. You failed to speak about all the dropouts before matric. We currently sit with 81% of 12-year- olds that cannot read for comprehension. Now, you spoke about the National Health Insurance, NHI, Bill that must be passed. Now, I'm laughing because if you're talking about reading for
comprehension — hon Modise is not here today — you had better ensure that your colleagues here are high enough on the list because otherwise you won't be passing any legislation as you can barely get quorums in this House. Today, they have a lot of energy but, hon Deputy President, you have not sent the strongest of the strong here.
Many might argue that the entire world is better off today. I mean, in 1994 you didn't even have Facebook. Now you do have that and that's how you campaign. However, you cannot claim that as a success of the ANC. Hon Deputy President, South Africans are to believe that you are looking after them, yet you cannot even look after your own party. The sheriff of the court stopped at your headquarters yesterday to seize the assets. Now, if you cannot even look after your own party, how are we supposed to believe that you will look after all of South Africa?
It's almost a year to the day ... Last year, you made a commitment in this House that you would visit Durban yourself to assess the crisis that is unfolding there, and what has in fact now led to the DA calling for the dissolution of that council. You did visit Mandeni. That is less than an hour
away. Yet, you ignored the unfolding crisis in Durban, just as you ignored the actions of your protectors.
Hon Shongwe, it is called the rule of law and more should be done to defend the rule of law. So, when the taxi strike happened here in Cape Town, this city stood firm just like it did in Tshwane, defending the rule of law. You know what, hon Shongwe, if you actually did that more regularly, this country would be on a better track. You say that the ANC is on the right track. Yes, but if it's a road built by you, that road is falling apart, the bridge is washed away, there are potholes and you will get stuck on the side of the road. I'm looking forward to that.
Hon Shongwe and the Deputy President, you brag that more people are getting social grants. You should in fact be ashamed. Yes, there should be a safety net but if we grow this economy more people will have access to jobs and more people will be able to look after their families so much better. Do not brag about expanding social grants. Brag when you start delivering jobs because that is what is needed.
An HON MEMBER: Hear! Hear!
Mr J J LONDT: So, if you want to ensure ... My time has run out quickly with hon Rayi in the chair. So, I must say that there is one thing that I do enjoy. I enjoy seeing the fear, the scrambling and the regret of ANC colleagues. The fear of losing the election next year, the scrambling about changing the narrative of their failed government ...
The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M I Rayi): As you conclude, hon Londt.
Mr J J LONDT: ... and the regret that they did not do better when they were entrusted with the responsibility. So, we will keep the Western Cape, and you will lose KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Mr Deputy President, you will have one honour and that honour is being the last ANC Deputy President of South Africa. Thank you.
Mr T S C DODOVU: Hon Chairperson of the session, hon Rayi, Deputy President of the Republic and of the ANC, Comrade Paul Mashatile, Premiers, Acting Premiers and MECs, Chief whip of the NCOP, President of SA Local Government Association, SALGA, distinguished members of the NCOP.
As our Deputy President, hon Paul Mashatile, has stated this afternoon, since 2013, this day, the 5th of December, has been indelibly printed in the annals of our history because it’s a day our international icon and the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela, departed from our midst and reconnected with mortality.
As we mark the 10-year anniversary of Madiba’s departure this year, very few people are aware that Madiba’s contemporary, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, was also born on this day, the 5th of December in 1924.
Today as we remember both of them, I will focus the theme of my speech on combating crime and corruption in our country and the need to build a capable developmental state for socioeconomic transformation. But I will later displace some of the unfounded allegations, late this afternoon and render them incompetent because they are devoured from the truth and are coloured by perennial fallacies, distortions and a mere electioneering gimmicks to canvass votes at the expense of the ANC. [Interjections.]
Hon Chair, as a country we stand at the crossroad of progress and possibility in our nation’s journey. The call before us
echoes loud and clear that we must render social services effectively, that we must notify community safety and that must propel economic reform that equal collective dreams of our people.
I, therefore, plead this afternoon that we must dive into the story of constructing a robust developmental state, a cornerstone of shaping a future full of possibility of positive change and economic growth of all South Africans.
As we peel back the layers of this narrative, we must discover the fundamental importance of building a resilient state that not only adapts to challenges of the hour, but also serves as a bedrock for fostering widespread economic transformation for a better tomorrow for every citizen.
Hon Chair, crime and corruption, formidable adversaries to progress are threatening the very fabric of our society. It is not just a matter of law enforcement, but a challenge that necessitates a multifaceted approach by all sectors of our society and our commitment to addressing this issue begins with an acknowledgement of the threat they pose to economic development and social stability.
When crime festers and corruption take root, they erode public trust, stifle economic growth and hamper the potential of our prosperity.
In our collective, pursuit of progress, the notion of a resilient developmental state becomes a beacon guiding us through the complexities of governance. It is not just about navigating governance challenges, but it’s also about creating a governmental infrastructure that can weather storms, adapt to evolving needs and proactively steer our nation towards prosperity.
Hon Chair, it is vital to realise that the pillars of a developmental state extend far beyond the corridors of power. The engagement of communities, their voices and their needs are integral to the success of this vision.
True resilience lies in forging partnership between government institutions and the diverse tapestry of our society. It’s about empowering individuals, fostering local initiatives and ensuring that the benefits of development are felt at every level of our society. In this collective effort, we are not only building a state that endures but one that can actively involve and uplift its people.
Hon Chair, the socioeconomic transformation of our society is not an abstract concept. It is a tangible commitment to improving the lives of ordinary South Africans by forging ahead with economic reforms that are rooted in inclusivity, we aim to bridge the gap, dismantle barriers and create an environment where opportunities are accessible to all.
This transformation is not merely an aspiration. It is a promise to unlock the potential of every citizen, irrespective of their background or circumstance, and to usher in an era where the fruits of development are shared equitably.
As we navigate this narrative, let us be the architects of change, school putting a future where the promise of progress is fulfilled for every South African.
To confront these challenges head-on, we must prioritise the strengthening of our security capacity, this involves equipping our law enforcement agencies with the necessary resources, technology and training to combat crime effectively. Additionally, increased funding is paramount to ensure that our security apparatus remains at the forefront of innovation and adapt to evolving threats. An investment,
therefore, in our security is an investment in the wellbeing and the future of our citizens.
Hon Chair, a specific concern that demands our immediate attention, therefore, is the rise of extortion and groups disrupting infrastructure development. Infrastructure is the backbone of economic progress and any threat to its development is a direct assault on our nation’s prosperity.
We must collaborate across party lines to formulate and support interventions that neutralise these threats and safeguard our critical infrastructure projects.
The ANC recognises the crucial need to fortify the pillars of our justice system and we have made commendable strides in this direction.
However, Chair, it is with humility that we acknowledge there is more work to be done, especially in the revitalization of Community Policing Forums, CPFs. These forums play a vital role in fostering community engagement, trust and
co-operation; elements that are indispensable in our collective course for a safer South Africa.
In tandem with our commitment to internal capacity building, we have directed concerted efforts towards strengthening border law enforcement. The establishment of the Border Management Authority, BMA, stands as a testament to our dedication to securing our borders effectively. By doing so, we are not only safeguarding our national security but also contribute to regional stability and co-operation.
However, Chair, as we confront the challenges of crime and violence head-on, we are cognisant of the fact that our efforts extend beyond institutional capacity and building. It is imperative that we undertake a political programme to safeguard the national democratic revolution and the gains of our hard-fought democracy.
Our commitment to a just and equitable society extends beyond law enforcement. It is deeply entrenched and rooted in the principle of the ANC and the broader struggle for a better South Africa.
Crime and violence have undeniably become increasingly pressing issues in our nation. We acknowledge the fears that communities harbour, concerns about gangsterism, armed robberies, rape and murder.
It is a sombre reality that women and children are particularly vulnerable to the violence perpetrated against them.
The impact of our economy is profound. We’ve damaged infrastructure, extortion and construction sites, corruption, the proliferation of the illicit economy and the high cost of securing business asset; these have negative profound implications. Yet, let us view these challenges not as insurmountable obstacles but as opportunities for positive change.
The ANC remains committed to tackling these issues head-on, promoting a positive vision for our nation’s future. We recognise that a safe and secure environment is the bedrock upon which our economic prosperity and social harmony are built.
In addressing these concerns, we are not only safeguarding our citizens but also unlocking the true potential of our nation.
By fostering community partnership, empowering law enforcement agencies and undertaking a holistic approach, we can create a
South Africa where all its people feel secure and can contribute to the nation’s prosperity.
With that, as it me, hon Chair, this afternoon we have listened to fairytales and breast-beating bravados, especially from hon Winde, the Premier of the Western Cape. In his input he mentioned the word ‘poorest of the poor’ 27 times. He acts like a champion of the poorest of the poor, while we know that he leads a province that is racially divided and that doesn’t care about the poor. [Interjections.] He’s obsessed ... he’s obsessed ... His obsession with Luthuli House is shocking.
Luthuli House is a revolutionary house. It is named after a stalwart, a leader of our people who made an indelible contribution in bringing about freedom in our land. And Luthuli House, it is where all of us as members of the ANC are getting our mandate because we are deployed by the ANC, Luthuli House, to these particular chambers to make a contribution in terms of serving our country. [Interjections.] Now, it will be full hardy on our part to ignore that particular point. Delft ...
Few weeks ago the Minister of Police informed the nation that Delft, where Premier Winde is Premier to, is the highest crime and murder area in the whole of the country. What are you
doing? [Interjections.] Yes. What are you doing yourselves, to ensure that you combat it? You spend all the time fighting the Commissioner of Police, you’re fighting all the time fighting the Minister of the Police without coming together in partnership in unison to ensure that we fight crime in the Western Cape, which is quite important for us to do that. It is quite important ... drugs are perpetuated, children are suffering, people are getting displaced every time, here in the Western Cape, and you come here and play a paragon of human perfection as if you have ... you possess all the solutions in terms of the problems of this country. And this must come to an end because we can see that you want to act as a champion, you want to act as a champion of the poor, when we know that you don’t care about the poor. It is the people in Gugulethu, in Langa and elsewhere, in Khayelitsha and elsewhere, who are suffering, who are suffering a lot. You have ... your model and your icon of the Cape Town, it is one of the municipalities that is not spending its capital infrastructure and that capital infrastructure is meant to build roads, is meant to build electricity, is meant to do all these sort of things especially in our townships. And this becomes a rollover at all the time because you don’t care about the poor, and you claim to be caring about the poor. And that is not correct. It is just a fallacy, and we all know
that ... we all know that you’re doing this because you are electioneering, because we want to create an impression that the ANC, which is an indomitable force in this country, is a failure and you want to project yourself as a champion. But the people of this country know the truth. The people of this country know the truth. They know who their leaders are. We have our own challenges and we continue to resolve those particular challenges, and bring it on. We are waiting for you. Bring it on. We will show you in terms of how we must move the processes forward and we are saying that as the ANC we are committed to ensuring that we support our people, we work our people and we deliver on our mandate.
And with all the problems that we experienced over time ... [Interjections.] ... we are committed in our conviction ... [Interjections.] [Inaudible.] ... and we are not going to be intimidated, we are not going to be concerned, we are not going to be ... all this ... [Inaudible.] ... by you because we know that you are acting like predators at the smell of buck by looking for the vote. That is what you are, that is what ... this is what you are [Time expired.] Thank you very much, hon Chair.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC: I think the Chairperson said that I should come and close the debate. I thought he will say that I must come and answer these people, the hon members. Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. I really want to thank the Chairperson of the NCOP and the leadership of the NCOP for inviting me to deliver the annual address. I thank the premiers who came all the way from the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Western Cape, and those who joined online. I know the premiers are very busy people, so for them to make time to be here, it’s highly appreciated. I thank the President of the SA Local Government Association, Salga, to be with us. President Stofile, you dealt very well with that issue of District Development Model, DDM. Therefore, I don’t have to talk about it. I think Premier Winde said it has failed. Now, Premier Winde, how can we fail when we’re starting ... [Interjections.]
No, I don’t understand the logic. We’ve introduced a new concept, we are starting with it, and he said no, it has failed. I don’t understand but, President Stofile, you have answered very well that for us to succeed as a country we need to co-ordinate our interventions and have one plan for a district, where national government is not going a particular direction, province another direction and local government
another direction. We bring all those plans together. We implement in a focused manner. Thank you, President Stofile, you have answered that.
I just want to say that the NCOP plays a very critical role, and the Chairperson I’m particularly very happy with your provincial weeks where you go to provinces and engage stakeholders. I think all of us must agree that that is a programme that must be intensified, because it will help us a lot to be able to deal with delivery on the ground with those provincial weeks.
Let me just say briefly, as I close, that the annual address gives us an opportunity to reflect on the journey we have travelled. I agree with everybody that there will be successes, and there will be failures. “Tell no lies, claim no easy victories” that’s what Amilcar Cabral said. What I presented to you this afternoon are facts, just clear facts.
Nobody can dispute that. I didn’t hide where they’re failures or challenges. I showed you that the journey that we’ve travelled we’ve succeeded here, and we have failed here because there are challenges. I spoke about load shedding and everything else because we don’t tell lies in the ANC. We have never been groomed like that. We tell it as it is. Therefore,
it’s us who are telling you that load shedding is a problem. It’s us who are telling you that, and you are not telling us.
In conclusion, I want to say that we are not here to brag ... [Interjections.] ... No, no, you were saying that we are bragging. I’m saying that we are not here to brag. We are here to tell you what we are doing, and we expect you to say if you think we’ve failed here, what are the solutions? That’s what we expect in the debate. However, hon members, thank you very much.
I just want to say in conclusion because my time is over. Just the last point, the last point. The last point and I won’t be long. The majority of people in South Africa is black people. Why is it a problem when you have more black millionaires than whites? Why is it a problem? No, no, if somebody says so yeah, white millionaires have gone down, blacks have increased. Of course, we’ve got more black people in this country, so statistics will be like that. However, I know whenever black people succeed is told, it said it’s corruption. Black economic empowerment, BEE, is affirmative action. Everything is corruption. Yes, that’s what you guys say. That’s why it’s you, hon members, because you don’t appreciate that black
people can prosper properly. However, otherwise, thank you for the debate, hon Chairperson. Thank you.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, Deputy President. Let me take this opportunity to thank the Deputy President for his attendance as well as his participation in the debate. Let’s also extend the same by indicating appreciation to all the premiers, all the members of executive council, MECs, the Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Chief Whips, and the President of Salga and all special and permanent delegates for making themselves available for this particular sitting.
Hon delegates, that conclude the business of the day. Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 17:07.
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