Chairperson and Minister
Minister, it is indeed difficult to adjudicate the budget allocation and work of this Department in isolation of other Departments that should have been placed within one Ministry and Department. Those other Departments are Trade and Industry, Small Business and even Finance and Energy. Having said this, we know that you are a hard-working minister and will today focus on your departmental entities. We, however, need to add that given the poor coordination between Departments, the fragmented approach to economic planning and intervention creates unnecessary red tape and administrative bottlenecks that this country can ill afford.
Die oorkoepelende boodskap wat ons vandag wil oordra is dat Suid-Afrika in die moeilikheid is en dat drastiese en rasionale optrede geregverdig is. Die kritieke plek waarin die land hom bevind word baie goed verwoord deur die direkteur-generaal van finansies, mnr Dondo Mogojane, wat gister die volgende gesê het rakende staatskaping:
“We have to ensure that we take a stand. We are not a failed state, but we are on the verge of becoming a failed state and we were party to that."
This is a bold and honest admission of guilt. It is also a good starting point to start fixing the state, for it is certain that most people in South Africa have already to their frustration and disillusionment have taken notice of this brokenness and are as a result concerned and restless.
Teen hierdie agtergrond moet die minister en sy departement aan die volgende sake aandag gee:
• In die algemeen moet toegesien word dat bewese beleid toegepas word. Dit beteken die beleid van wen-lande soos die Europese lande, die VSA, Suid-Korea, en Singapoer moet toegepas word. Genoeg bloed het in die geskiedenis gevloei om ons te leer dat die vryemark-stelsel die beste vermoë het om armoede uit te wis, in teenstelling met ‘n beleid van herverspreiding van rykdom wat almal ewe arm maak;
• Further to this, there must be certainty that the IDC does not invest in and finance ‘captured’ and opportunistic transactions in the name of BBBEE. Examples of these are the financing of the acquisition of Capitec shares that were immediately sold on to the GEPF by a few opportunistic individuals, and the financing of the Shiva uranium mine on behalf of the Guptas. This must end.
• Wat die wysigings op die Mededingingswet betref, moet die minister sekerheid gee aan die private sektor watter bedrywe en watter maatskappye geoormerk word om opgebreek te word in kleiner eenhede. Die sakewêreld het sekerheid meer as enige iets nodig en die oordeelkundige toepassing van die nuwe magte as van kardinale belang om die ekonomie te beskerm.
• Lastly and most importantly, the Minister and his department must explain and provide certainty on the plans and effect on the economy of expropriation without compensation. This one simple phrase has already damaged the country’s international reputation with a real effect on inward investment. To be true, there can be no economic development if there is no certainty on property rights. It is as simple as that. This Department must therefore explain how economic development will take place within this environment of uncertainty.
Minister, in my budget speech in 2015 I noted that we cannot be mere run-of-the-mill politicians but will also have to become political entrepreneurs that create value for growth. This is more true than ever before.
I thank you Chair
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