Deputy Speaker, during the elections all of us promised the people of South Africa a better life. We committed ourselves to work to improve the conditions of the poorest of the poor. The understanding is that public funds will be used to realise these honourable objectives.
It is regrettable that the Free State Department of Education has decided to withdraw learner transport for farmworkers' children as from the next academic year.
To ensure that these decisions are made legitimate, the department convened a meeting with the relevant officials to drill them on how the so-called public hearings will be conducted. The intention of these public hearings is to ensure that the hearings result in the implementation of the department's decision. These shenanigans amount to conning the poorest of the poor.
The policy on learner transport was developed because there were children who walked an average of 40km per day to get to school. Some of the girls were raped by people who offered them a lift, and, during winter, most of these learners left their homes when it was dark and returned when it was dark.
Where transport was not feasible, these children were placed in state hostels, where the state carried the costs. It seems this alternative is also not going to be implemented. The excuse being offered is that there is no money. This programme was budgeted for for all these years, until the department decided to withdraw it.
What is disgusting is that, just two weeks ago, the province wasted R45 million on the Mangaung Macufe, although it was also not budgeted for. The province also spends R25 million per annum on Letlaka Communications, just to print a Premier's praise-singing weekly tabloid.
Every time ANC MPs follow up a question answered by the Ministers, they precede their statement with, and I quote: "Thank you for your comprehensive response." [Laughter.] This time, the farmworkers of the Free State have been comprehensively conned by the SACP-led ANC government. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]