Chairperson, Minister and Committee Chairperson Fubbs,
This Committee’s oversight work is of the highest importance to ensure that the country’s economy grows, and that sustainable employment is created. So far, the Department has been able to ensure some sectors from shedding jobs but have not succeeded in growing the economy more than the population growth trajectory. We have said this before and will reiterate it again: there is just too much intervention in the economy to allow for real growth.
Gegewe die werk wat voorlê vir dié komitee, maak die VF Plus derhalwe die volgende voorstelle:
1. Firstly, in the reviewing the BBBE Act to ensure amendments conducive to the functioning of the BBBEE Commission are implemented, the DTI must perform a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment and the BBBEE Commission must also perform its own analysis and submit a report on the success or lack thereof of BBBEE as a developmental intervention tool to create an inclusive economy. Special reference to any unintended consequences it may have had and will in future have on the non-designated group of South Africans and the effect of BBBEE on the whole economy must also be made;
2. Die Nasionale Loterykommissie se mandaat moet verseker dat maatskaplike ontwikkeling in al sy vorme altyd deel vorm van sy fokus, insluitende die beskerming van diere. Dit kan nie weer gebeur dat diere-organisasies geen befondsing ontvang nie. Voorsitter Fubbs het onderneem om hierna te kyk na aanleiding van ‘n versoek van ons ;
3. Die Departement moet die skepping van meer Spesiale Ekonomiese Zones bespoedig ten einde beleggings en werkskepping te fasiliteer. Daar moet veral gekyk word na die skep van SEZ’s waar regstellende aksie en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging nie nodig is nie. Dit kan as eksperiment dien om te sien wat die effek van ‘n vryer mark vir ekonomiese groei sal wees;
4. The Department must also ensure that the capacity of NMISA, SANAS and related institutions like the NRCS and SABS, is improved to ensure standards for technical instruments and products are created and complied with, and to ensure that importation, manufacture and use of instruments and products without compliance does not take place and are safe for use. In this regard we can mention the e-toll instruments were imported and implemented without ever going through a standards creation and certification process;
5. The DTI must ensure that the new proposed Film Production Incentive complies with the needs of the local and international audio-visual production industry to ensure increased investment and the growth of the local film, television and general audio-visual production industry;
6. Die Departement moet verseker dat die Industriele Beleidsaksieplan in die toekoms kennis neem van die aard en effek van die vierde industriele rewolusie en moet verseker dat daar beplan word om die negatiewe effek daarvan teen te werk ten einde ekonomiese groei te verseker;
7. Lastly, the Minister and DTI must ensure that policy certainty is created regarding the concept of expropriation without compensation and that the effect thereof will not be detrimental in any way to economic development and job creation and will not be prejudicial to any existing legal property owners or rightsholders in any form.
While South Africans have reason to be concerned, it deserves to be noted that foreign investors are not protected against EWC either. As the existing Bilateral Investment Treaties expire, the measures of the Protection of Investment Act will replace them. It is, therefore, very disconcerting that Section 10 of this Act provides that all property matters will be addressed by Section 25 of the Constitution. This is the very section that stands to be amended to allow EWC. This basically means that despite all the positioning by the Minister and the Department during the creation of the Protection of Investment Act that it will not harm investor relations, it is going to devastate foreign direct investment.
Ons vra dat die Minister besin en aandag gee aan die voorstelle ten einde te verseker die ekonomie groei werklik ten goede vir almal.
I thank you Chair.
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