Hon Chairperson, hon members of Cabinet, hon Deputy Minister of Public Works, hon members of the provincial executive councils, hon members of the legislatures, hon chairperson and members of the Select Committee on Public Works, members of the South African Local Government Association, Salga, acting director-general and senior officials of the department, heads of departments, municipal managers, heads of state- owned entities, members of the business community, distinguished guests, comrades and friends, I greet you.
This month marks the 35th anniversary of the Soweto uprising, when the youth of our country took a stand against the repressive machinery of the apartheid government which saw a generation of African people subjected to a system that denied them the privileged right to inclusive education that would equip Africans for inclusion in a growing South African economy. The year 1976 was the watershed year for what was to become a long and hard "walk to freedom", as Nelson Mandela might have put it. Like any milestone, it did not mean the end of the road; it rather signified the end of one stretch and the beginning of another.
Thirty-five years later we are facing a different struggle, to ensure that our young people are adequately equipped in mathematics, science and technology as fundamental pillars of an inclusive education. It will prepare them to contribute positively to our economy through participation in the built environment.
For this reason, allow me to dedicate my maiden Budget Vote speech to the NCOP to all the youth of South Africa.
Three days after the nation laid to rest our mother and struggle icon, Mama Albertina Sisulu, I also dedicate this Budget Vote speech to the memory of Ma Sisulu, who emerged as a mother to many young people during the painful liberation struggle. Her firm and quiet leadership produced some outstanding and committed cadres, and leaders of the liberation movement. They now serve the nation in important portfolios and capacities. Ma Sisulu always emphasised that freedom would come in her lifetime. Indeed freedom came in her lifetime, and she served the democracy she fought for.
Last week, as black and white people gathered at the stadium in Orlando to bid farewell to Mama Sisulu, I could not help but think of her words about multiracial gatherings at a meeting of the UDF, where she stated:
I am very happy to be one of those in the UDF because in all these years I've been banned, it has been my wish that one day I would get to such a gathering, a multiracial gathering, a gathering that gives me hope that this South Africa, one day, will be a just South Africa for everybody.
Today, we say once again with gratitude in our hearts for the future you built for us, rest in peace! Lala kahle, qhawekazi! [Rest in peace, heroine!]
When the Freedom Charter was adopted in 1955 it spoke clearly of the right of our people to work and security, regardless of race, sex or creed. Fifty- six years later, in 2011, in his state of the nation address His Excellency President Jacob Zuma reminded the nation, and I quote:
However, we are concerned that unemployment and poverty persist despite the economic growth experienced in the past 10 years. To address these concerns, we have declared 2011 a year of job creation, ... While looking to the private sector in particular to help us create most of the jobs, government will certainly play its part.
And Public Works should actually lead this.
The Budget Vote of the national Department of Public Works in the fiscal year 2011-12 is about employment creation through inclusivity at the national, provincial and local levels of government.
It is therefore with this compelling undertaking in mind, to create decent employment opportunities, particularly among the youth, that I present this budget to you here today. For us, infrastructure development and job creation lie at the centre of the mandate and the strategic plan of the National Department of Public Works.
In response to the national priorities of government and the policy directives of the New Growth Path and Industrial Policy Action Plan 2, Ipap 2, the Department of Public Works took a strategic decision to translate its mandate into labour-intensive programmes. These would include substantial public investment in infrastructure to create employment directly in construction, operation and maintenance.
Our budget reflects the policy focus of government through the detailing of financing and expenditure programmes, and it mirrors the choices between accelerated service delivery, the promotion of economic growth, job creation, infrastructural development and the state's asset management.
In the fiscal year 2011-12, the department has an allocation of R7,8 billion. Of this allocation almost R1,4 billion has been allocated for the improvement of state buildings and infrastructure, with up to 60% of it allocated to current commitments, while the remaining 40% is allocated to prioritised new projects, which are at the core of service delivery, and are earmarked to be executed mainly by the youth. We encourage hon members to join us as we walk this path with the youth of our country.
Historically, the Department of Public Works has been procuring public immoveable assets to promote growth and development, and create a better life for the people. Consequently government has accumulated a huge portfolio of immovable assets and these properties are vital in the reconstruction and development efforts of government, necessitating the state to find a legal mechanism to ensure their optimum, cost-effective use.
The strategic planning and the implementation of the Department of Public Works' plans are framed within the vital context of the statutory framework provided for in the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, Giama, of 2007. The objective of Giama is to ensure efficient and effective management of immovable assets within government, as well as to improve service delivery. Giama places a substantive obligation on the national and provincial spheres of government to lead the cost-effective management of the state's immoveable assets. The implementation of Giama is a challenge we need to rise up to collectively as national, provincial and local government.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that one of our strategic priorities is to provide strategic leadership in effective and efficient immovable asset management, while continuing to invest in infrastructure development through the delivery of essential public facilities and other amenities calculated to improve the quality of life of all South Africans, today and in the future.
As the custodian of state immovable assets, the department has committed itself to using the state immovable asset footprint towards realising government's key national priorities and the prescripts of the New Growth Path and Ipap 2.
Giama makes it imperative that we facilitate the provision of accommodation and monitor the performance of the state's immovable assets, maximising their value through ongoing monitoring of portfolio performance.
The department also remains committed to providing life-cycle immovable asset management planning, based on credible portfolio and property analyses. In this regard, allow me to add emphasis to an increasing need to build sufficient capacity for the continuous management and enhancement of the immovable asset register.
To this end, we will soon launch the amnesty campaign, aptly named Operation Bring Back, in order to encourage South Africans to reclaim lost and/or missing immovable assets. A number of job opportunities have been identified for the youth, to identify such recovered assets, verify them, and have them properly recorded in the asset registers of the national and provincial departments. At the meeting of the Minister and the provincial MECs in April 2011 we unanimously agreed to work together to retrieve these assets. These properties, we believe, were insincerely wrested from the state in the turbulent transitional period following the demise of apartheid, and were being unlawfully occupied, especially in the former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei, TBVC, Bantustans.
We would like to extend an invitation to hon members to co-operate with and assist us. Upon recovery, these properties will either enhance our disposal programme or contribute positively to our inner city regeneration programme in revitalising the economy and making the value of state-owned properties appreciate.
Most state-owned properties have over the years degenerated, forcing government to rely increasingly on private leases for its accommodation, at an exorbitant cost. A conscious strategy has been adopted to reinvigorate our investment in continuous repair and maintenance, as well as construction of new government buildings in order to generate major savings for the state, a process we will be embarking on in the three years.
Economic opportunities inherent in such a strategy will be directed at empowering youth and women's enterprises among others, particularly targeting incubation programmes already being driven by the department in the construction sector. In the final analysis, our aim is to relocate national departments to state-owned buildings where it is feasible to do so.
We also acknowledge that our lease portfolio remains a challenge in all tiers of government. The department will continue, as a matter of policy, to find ways to structure its current leases in such a way that the socioeconomic goals of government are realised, including black, women's and youth economic empowerment.
With regard to our own stock, we shall invoke the National Infrastructure Maintenance Strategy, Nims, and the National Contractor Development Programme, NCDP, to target investment in this sector, much to the benefit of our small and emerging contractors. Many more youth initiatives can be encouraged to benefit from opportunities such as facilities management. We shall intensify our engagement with the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, to develop tangible programmes to benefit our youth.
Linked to leasing management is the rehabilitation of underutilised and unutilised public buildings for alternative usage or utilisation. With many of our tertiary students around the country being exposed to accommodation that is not conducive, and at high cost, the department in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training decided to convert unutilised and underutilised buildings to provide affordable student accommodation where it is possible.
In Gauteng, the upgrading and refurbishment of the H G de Witt Building in Tshwane Central will yield accommodation for approximately 180 students. The upgrading and refurbishment of the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein, in the Free State, will yield accommodation for approximately 700 students.
Through this intervention the department is looking to alleviate the problem of a lack of decent student accommodation, whilst creating job opportunities. This is part of our strategy to break the vicious circle of intergenerational poverty, which many of our youths are forced to inherit.
We shall continue to identify similar properties for various other social uses in the different provinces in support of government's commitment to having humane human settlements for all. Properties will be identified to assist needy communities, particularly orphans, disabled people, child- headed households, and frail care centres, as part of the 67 minutes of doing community work in honour of our struggle icon, former President Nelson Mandela.
We are currently drafting a disposal policy that embraces the social needs of a developmental state. This also requires the review of the State Land Disposal Act of 1961, and its alignment to the current constitutional imperatives.
In addition to this, there is the plan driven by the Inter-Ministerial Cabinet Committee chaired by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. The vesting of state immovable assets in the correct sphere of government is critical, not only for proper identification, ownership and geographical location of the assets, but for responding to the social objectives of the country.
Proper vesting of state property will ensure that these assets are used optimally for service delivery, and can be accounted for, in accordance with the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act, PMFA, Act 1 of 1999, and the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, Giama, Act 19 of 2007. And again, the provinces must be commended for their role in helping to expedite the vesting process.
We have admitted that our maintenance record leaves much room for improvement. We are also aware that as we make progress with our maintenance record, we continue to experience challenges brought about by the ageing stock we own, most of which is of heritage value, and this compounds the costs associated with maintenance. This has forced us to reconsider other options, which will be rolled out in this fiscal year.
Energy efficiency in state buildings is central to the building programme for this fiscal year. As a strategic programme it will respond to the energy shortage facing the country. It is already being implemented through shared contracts and an Energy Code of Conduct for users of public buildings.
We are mindful of the fact that we will always be judged by the standards according to which we treat our valued clients. In-depth consideration of the accommodation needs of our clients remains a top priority for the department. Key account management in this financial year will have an effect through well-managed immovable assets in line with property portfolio strategies and effective client/user management plans that address user requirements and prioritised planned maintenance. Our regional offices in all nine provinces will be instrumental in our achieving this objective.
Our clients' needs have encouraged the department to proactively engage with our clients, as successfully demonstrated by our recent visits and continuing work at the military bases of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans. In Lephalale, Limpopo province, we are in the process of refurbishing houses for the South African Military Health Service, SAMHS, and a health facility at De Brug.
The department is also paying attention to the deteriorating state of the infrastructure in the harbours, beginning in Cape Town.
Facilities relating to the Department of Justice were recently completed and handed over at places like Galeshewe, Kimberley, Colesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Butterworth, amongst others. The Department of Public Works needs to ensure that client departments function in proper and decent facilities in discharging their constitutional mandate.
The accommodation needs of the South African Police Service, SAPS, in the year under review will be extensive, given the need to fast-track the goal of a safe and secure South African society. The communities of Botokwa, Jane Furse, Chatsworth and Tsakane became witnesses of their own development when these facilities were officially handed over and opened, joining a long list of similar facilities either built or renovated by the Department of Public Works. Many community liaison officers employed at these project sites were drawn from the ranks of the youth to mobilise the communities and make certain that the community were part of their own development.
Together with the provinces, the municipalities and our public entities, we have grown and we now look beyond the narrow confines of our mandates in our desire to expedite services to our people. Supported by our public entities, we have sought to streamline new technologies aimed at delivering basic but essential social infrastructure and other services. We are overseeing the implementation of an intensive programme for the construction of safe schools.
The school building programme in the Eastern Cape has seen the rapid delivery of no fewer than 10 schools in the last six months. This is in an effort to eradicate the lingering problem of mud schools and others built from inappropriate materials.
The Willowvale Senior Secondary School stands as a beacon of hope for similar structures in the country, after we transformed the institution from a mud structure to a state-of-the-art 18-classroom school, fully furnished, with 26 toilets, a resource centre, an administration office, sporting facilities, and a kitchen to feed pupils.
Still in the Eastern Cape, construction work is coming to an end at two other schools, namely Hlwahlwazi and Mgwili in the Lusikisiki area. Again working together with the traditional leaders, we shall be handing these over very soon.
Construction work has also started on the two schools at Taung in the North West province. The demand from other provinces is also rising, and the Department of Public Works pledges to meet the demand in order for our children to attain their birthright of proper access to education.
UMakhulu [Grandmother] Nosizwe Mxhaka, a 72-year-old, broke down and cried when a bridge was unveiled in her village. She lost her nine-year-old grandchild earlier this year, who drowned whilst crossing the river on her way to school. Makhulu said gratefully, and I quote:
We are blessed with a bridge today. I wish my grandchild was still alive to cross the bridge. I thank Nelson Mandela for shaping this government to work for its people.
In partnership with provincial governments and municipalities, the Department of Public Works has also launched a pothole rehabilitation programme in response to the loud cries of our public road users about the poor state of our roads. The programme is aimed at reducing unemployment, particularly among the youth and women. The department has committed itself to creating 400 job opportunities for each metropolitan district through this pothole rehabilitation programme.
Whereas the intention was to primarily target metropolitan municipalities and then extend it to district and rural municipalities, provinces such as North West have embraced the initiative, and cannot wait to commence with the rehabilitation work. According to the MEC in the province, the injection of an additional 400 Orange Brigade members - Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, workers - will bring his tally to 1 000 for Mafikeng alone, and this will help paint the town orange, enhancing the public visibility of the EPWP. Let me acknowledge the warm reception and co- operation of the government of North West. Our engagement will go further and assist in other township rejuvenation plans. More employment opportunities for the youth can be expected when work begins, which includes the fixing of street lights to fight crime, as well as cleaning cemeteries, building internal streets using paving, and the cleaning and greening of open spaces for the benefit of our communities. All these will be undertaken through labour-intensive methods in order to maximise job creation. We can announce that this project has long commenced in Tshwane in Gauteng.
During my recent briefing with the Premier of the Free State, Mr Ace Magashule, he invited us - and we accepted the invitation - to partner in town development programmes in his province. His Operation Hlasela, which aims to attack poverty, is in full swing and my department will work closely with the province to achieve the desired results. We are working with all the premiers in various projects of the department.
Underpinning our building programme is the provision of access to public buildings to disabled people, in order to promote the letter and spirit of the Constitution. The programme is receiving priority attention from the department. We launched our disability policy in December 2010. It goes beyond national employment targets for the disabled. Instead, central to the policy is the preparedness of the department to involve disabled people in the core business of the department, for real economic empowerment. Our contribution to Africa's reconstruction remains on course. In this regard, in the current financial year we will begin with the construction of the Matola Museum and the Interpretation Centre in Mozambique. Furthermore, acting in collaboration with the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, we will be proceeding with the construction of the South African Embassy offices in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ahead of the country's hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup Soccer Tournament, the department successfully implemented massive infrastructure development projects at key border posts, including Lebombo, Golela and Vioolsdrift.
Minister, you must please conclude your speech.
Deputy Chairperson, I conclude. The New Growth Path expects public investment to create 250 000 jobs a year in energy, transport, water and communications. I would also like to mention that Phase 2 of the Expanded Public Works Programme has just completed its second year.
Chairperson, I am not sure whether you have been made aware of the fact that the Deputy Minister is not participating, and I therefore prepared two speeches for this debate. But I do not want to take much of your time - I can touch on some of the things that remain when I respond. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon members, comrades and distinguished guests, ...
... sonke singofakazi bokuthi ngesikhathi sokhetho olusanda kudlula sambona umholi we-ANC, uGedleyihlekisa Zuma, enza adume ngazo, ngokucula futhi edansela ingoma yakhe esiyithandayo sonke, Umshini wami.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi izingane zazeMzansi zona zindansela umdanso wazo othi, Sika likhekhe. Sase simbona-ke umholi we-DA, u-Helen Zille, naye engazibekile phansi ngomdanso wakhe welingisa. Singazi-ke phela belu kunomdanso umculi, uVusi Ximba, awubiza ngokuthi yi-kicheren shoes, mhlawumbe uMama uZille ubeqonde wona lo mdanso kaVusi Ximba.
Phela unkabi, u-Zille, uyakuthanda ukutuswa nokunconywa ngamandla abanye abantu kuhle okwesibhuklabhukla sikalamthuthu sona sabona inkukhu yasemakhaya ifukamela amaqada naso sasesifukamela awaso amaqanda. Kodwa imiphumela yamaqanda afukanyelwe ulamthuthu abola wonke kwathi amaqanda afukanyelwe isikhukhukazi sasemakhaya aphuma amachwane. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[... we have all witnessed the leader of the ANC during the recent election - we saw Gedleyihlekisa Zuma doing what he is popularly known for - singing and dancing to his favourite song that we all like, Umshini Wami.
And on the other hand, South African youth were performing their dance known as Sika likhekhe. We have also seen the DA leader Helen Zille, not wanting to be outdone, with her imitating dance. We may never know, as there was a dance known to the singer Vusi Ximba that he called Kicheren Shoes - maybe Ms Zille's aim was to perform this dance.
By the way, Zille likes to be praised and commended at the expense of other people's hard labour, just like a fat battery chicken hen did when it saw a free range hen hatching its eggs - it hatched its eggs too. But the outcome was that the eggs that were hatched by the battery chicken hen all got rotten, and the eggs that were hatched by the free range hen produced chickens.]
Africa and South Africa's late superstar, Brenda Fassie, would turn in her grave if she knew that the DA, under Zille, was abusing her song, Vulindlela, as a party-political song for their political rallies in order to fire up their supporters, who jump all over the stage flashing clenched fists, a salute similar to that of the ANC, the SA Communist Party, SACP, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu, the South African National Civic Organisation, Sanco, and many more in Africa.
Surely, MaBrr's son, Bongani, and the ANC Youth League could remind the South African public that Brenda Fassie never benefited from the colonial apartheid structures and that she was 100% ANC. Fassie explained for all to know that she was not allowed to perform in exclusively white areas.
I recognise the hon member Mr Feldman.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, I would like to ask the hon member, Mr Sibande, whether he is in the right place, because we are debating Public Works here. [Laughter.]
Maybe you are sleeping.
Are you asking a question or what? Hon member, are you prepared to answer a question?
Thanks, Madam. He must learn to listen and he will get the answer. [Interjections.] Chairperson, the ANC ...
No, no, hon member Bloem!
Chairperson, the ANC national executive committee, NEC, in its January 8 Statement 2011, states ...
Hon Sibande, order, please. [Laughter.]
Madam Chair, on a point of order: Unless the interpreter is not using the right words, the speaker is definitely not on the subject of the debate and I would appreciate it if the member would stay on the debate. Thank you.
You are out of order. The hon member Mr Sibande may continue.
You do not need to teach me how to speak! I know how to speak. Chairperson, the ANC NEC January 8 Statement 2011 states that 2011 will be the year of job creation and decent work through meaningful economic transformation.
The Budget Vote reflects this emphasis, in that key components of the voting of funds are geared towards: promoting economic growth and strengthening the fight to eradicate poverty; creating an efficient, competitive and responsive infrastructure network through the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP; skills; and sustainable human settlements and improved quality of houses.
Public Works is critical to the developmental principle that infrastructural development is a primary driver of economic growth and social development.
We endorse efforts to strengthen the department's capacity to evaluate all current programmes with the idea of enhancing procedures and overcoming institutional and operational difficulties with regard to the co-ordination of government and state-owned enterprises. There is a need to develop the human resource capacity and systems to ensure that the effective management of the delivery and maintenance of infrastructure is achieved. This Budget Vote must ensure the expansion of Public Works capacity in infrastructure development. The monitoring and evaluation capacity needs to be strengthened.
This Budget Vote must ensure that human resources are developed in all aspects of the infrastructure development programme, including targeted skills development; small, medium and micro enterprise, SMME, development; and learnerships targeting young graduates and the unemployed. Our state must have the capacity to transform the economy and society as a whole. It should ensure investment and growth of the economy for the purpose of job creation in order to improve the lives of the people.
The Government Immovable Asset Management Act has to ensure efficient and effective planning of immovable asset management within government, as well as improve service delivery. Given that the department is responsible for the provision of official accommodation to all national departments and all Members of Parliament, and the provision of construction and property management services to client departments at the national level, this Budget Vote must ensure that the EPWP will expedite investment in infrastructure to promote social cohesion, local economic development and job creation.
Some of the challenges require immovable asset register enhancement to align it with generally recognised accounting practice. In this regard, the Government Immovable Asset Management Act needs to be vigorously implemented.
We welcome the fact that the Government Immovable Asset Management Act makes it necessary for the department to facilitate the provision of accommodation, monitors the performance of the state's immovable assets, and maximises their value through ongoing monitoring of portfolio performance. We also commend the department for its commitment to providing life-cycle immovable asset management planning based on credible portfolio and property analysis.
We recognise the increasing need to build sufficient capacity for the continuous management and enhancement of the immovable asset register. We also note that through this Budget Vote the department plans to launch an amnesty campaign called Operation Bring Back.
Njengoba uNgqongqoshe uke wachaza besifisa ukukucacisa lokhu ngoba abanye abantu banezindlebe kodwa abezwa, banamehlo kodwa ababoni ... [As you have explained, hon Minister, we would like to clarify this because other people have ears but they do not hear, they have eyes but they do not see ...]
... in order to encourage South Africans to reclaim lost or missing immovable assets, especially those lost during the years of transition.
The importance of state-owned real estate as a major revenue generator for our country is critical. This property can contribute positively to our inner city regeneration programme by revitalising the economy and making the value of state-owned properties appreciate.
The EPWP has mobilised stakeholders and partners to increase their efforts in the implementation of infrastructural projects at local, provincial and national level. In this regard, Kamoso Awards recognise excellence in the implementation of projects from all four EPWP sectors.
Similarly, we appreciate the work of the Department of Public Works in supporting nonstate sector programmes in the Bushbuckridge community, which contribute immensely to poverty alleviation. Many of these good initiatives should be spread throughout our communities.
We acknowledge the department's commitment to investing in the repair, continuous maintenance and construction of new government buildings in the next three years. The commitment could generate major savings for the state.
President Zuma urged all the departments to ensure that they filled vacant posts in line with the commitment to render services to our people. It is through skilled human resources that we can ensure implementation, evaluation and monitoring of the Expanded Public Works Programme and its principles at that level of governance.
It is noticeable that in this financial year an amount of R1,8 billion has been allocated for the property rates grants. The amount has decreased by 3% from the 2010-11 allocation. Indeed performance in this grant has improved notably in the past financial year, 2010-11, showing improved spending of 92% by provinces, while during the 2009-10 financial year it was 79%. Monitoring of grant transfers to provinces is critical for the better life of all our people.
Siyazi abanye abantu bathanda ukukhuluma ngenkohlakalo kodwa abanabo ubufakazi. [We know that some people like to talk about corruption but they do not have evidence.]
In this regard, we note that the EPWP has been allocated R679 million for incentive grants to municipalities, and R267 million for provinces. The bulk of the budget for grants includes the social sector, nonstate sector and intermediaries. It increased from R1,2 million in 2010-11 to R1,3 million in 2011-12, representing a nominal improvement of 5,6%.
I-ANC iyaseseka lesi Sabiwomali. I-ANC ithanda ukuhalalisela i-ANC Youth League ngenkomfa yabo, ukuthi ihambe kahle, yangabi nezihibe ngoba kukhona abanye abangayifisi inqubekela phambili ngoba izinhlangano zabo zetsha zingenazo izinkomfa [youth league conferences], bayabakhetha, bafake izicelo. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[The ANC supports this Budget Vote. The ANC would like to congratulate the ANC Youth League on its conference which went well without any hiccups, because there are others who do not wish it well since their youth leagues do not have conferences; but they are nominated and then they put in applications. Thank you.]
Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members of the NCOP, members of the public and guests, the Department of Public Works is the department in government structures meant to fulfil the wishes of the President when he declared in his state of the nation address that government would create millions of jobs in all the state departments to better the lives of the people in South Africa.
The Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, must reach more people, even if the economy grows faster. Half of the programme still aims to intensify labour absorption in public infrastructure projects, but the EPWP was also revamped to encourage municipalities, ward committees and nonprofit organisations to generate opportunities.
The budget is a little hard to follow, but funds allocated specifically to EPWP job creation rose from about R1,4 billion in 2010-11 to R2,5 billion in 2012-13. However, considerably more funding will be needed - up to five times more.
The mandate of the Department of Public Works is provided for in the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, Giama of 2007. If we look at the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, it has as its vision speeding up growth, decent work and sustainable livelihoods; a massive programme to build social and economic infrastructure; the fight against crime and corruption; sustainable resource management; and building the developmental state and strengthening democratic institutions.
These are nice words, and beautiful sentences and sounds on the ears, but how many of these outcomes have really happened since 1994? Very few, because there is no discipline and no control, and a lack of strong leadership and motivation in the department to attain success in its goals.
Why did the Minister of Finance, hon Pravin Gordhan, withdraw eight of the nine provinces' money - R2,4 billion - for the development of infrastructure in the last financial year? The reason is underspending. Only the Western Cape spent its budget of R794,8 million.
The problems and handicaps around underspending in the provinces are caused by bad contract management, insufficient financial systems and badly obtained policies. Because of incompetence, the management of the department is really failing the people of South Africa in regard to its discharging its responsibilities. Incompetence leads to poor management.
Minister Pravin Gordhan finally cracked the whip on the departments and he wants government to ensure that the supply chain processes are as watertight as they can be. The DA also supports the announcement of strict new regulations designed to crack down on tender fraud and overpricing. Treasury will also monitor all tenders above R500 000 at all levels of government.
In the previous financial year, the department, as a custodian of all government properties, failed to manage 780 state-owned houses in Gauteng which were occupied by friends and relatives of government officials. This is according to the department's infrastructure and development report. The report goes further to say that some of the occupants had paid bribes to senior officials to gain access to the houses.
The provincial government of Gauteng owns 826 houses across six regions, but according to the report only 46 tenants had signed lease agreements.
In Mafikeng, North West province, it is estimated that about a third of public servants occupy state houses and apartments illegally, while many other properties are understood to have fallen into private hands over the years under the watch of the provincial public works department. Of serious concern is that most properties are neither recorded in the asset register of the department, nor even traceable.
What is going on in the department, if it does not have its own accurate records of state properties? I'm afraid, if the department can't take responsibility for immovable assets, I don't know how there will be accountability regarding all the other assets in the department. The Minister and her executive must take responsibility and see that there is discipline, that policies are in place, and that there is strong control and management in the department.
However, I do want to congratulate the Minister for having the guts to put a moratorium on the department's financial activities for the next six months. It is the only way to deal with the corruption and fraud going on in the department. The DA believes that the outcome of this brave action will be to the benefit of all South Africans. I thank you.
Madam Chair, hon Minister, chairman of the committee, hon members, and those who work in the engine room of the department, it is a great pleasure for me to be here this afternoon and to talk about this incredibly important subject. It is my hope, now that we have a new Minister and a new director-general, that this constitutes a new beginning for this department, because it is a new beginning that is very necessary.
It is an incredibly powerful department, if one looks at the numbers. I am not sure of the assets, but I do know they are in excess of R450 billion. This means we are looking at a business here with an asset base of $100 billion. That makes it an enormous business with an enormous base by any international standards. It has a budget of R8 billion. It has leasing activity, if my memory serves me correctly, in excess of R1 billion per annum. So, it is a massive department, with the capacity to really make a huge difference to the economy of South Africa.
I think what we all find, whether we are at the executive level - at the provincial level or the national level - is that our revenue budgets are too small. The hon Minister mentioned, for instance, having a problem with maintenance, with looking after our buildings, etc. We all have that problem. That is common to you, and it is common in the provinces. We never have enough money to do all the things that we want to do in what we get from Treasury. However, what I think is incredibly important is the money that we can generate in Public Works. That becomes the important thing, and I want to come back to that in a moment.
In regard to a new beginning, hon Minister, I want to talk about three areas. The first area is one that you have tackled very boldly - I think part of me thinks a little too boldly. It is the question of honesty and integrity in the operations of your department, and your determination to identify and stamp out corrupt behaviour. I really must commend you on that. I think that to say that Public Works - certainly in this province, I think nationally and, I suspect, in most provinces - has been a haven of those who want to steal the people's money is unfortunately true. It was certainly true here. [Interjections.] It was certainly true here and I had to get rid of some of the people. [Interjections.] This is not a political matter. This is a matter about the country. I want to say to the hon Minister that what we must be very careful of is something we have just managed to stamp out here in the Western Cape. I know it exists elsewhere, however. I am going to give an example of what is happening in the Free State, and that is the practice of people in the department colluding with so-called property entrepreneurs outside the department. What is done is this. They get a letter from the department offering a rental for a certain building at an amount much higher than its historic rental or its market rental. [Interjections.] The so-called entrepreneur usually has an historically disadvantaged individual as a front, but there are nearly always white people behind it. This enables them then to purchase the building or to get loans to purchase the building at virtually any price because of its enormous rental in terms of this, and from that they secure the lease.
Let me give you an example. With three of my buildings, if those leases had been signed, the province would have paid out R70 million more than what it would have needed to pay out over the next nine years. Just on three buildings - R70 million! I do not know if there is anyone here from the Free State, but I would ask the administration there to look at the property known as Cooper House, 157 St Andrews Street, Bloemfontein. They should look out for a company trying to buy it called Cedar Creek Properties. That company was the one that got involved in my territory. They should also look out for two gentlemen called Peter Volkwyn and Juan Gossman ... [Interjections.] ... and stop whatever they are doing, because they want to take the people's money.
The second thing I want to comment to the hon Minister on is our agenda as the Public Works family. In the few years that I have been involved, I have found that our agenda has got a little bit stuck. Whilst we discuss important things, we are discussing the same old important things. While I think that we must not discard those things - they are very important - we have to widen that agenda. In particular, national government Outcome 6, I think, has to largely determine our agenda when we meet in the family with the hon Minister and the MECs from the provinces. We need to really start looking at that. Our business is infrastructure, and that is what we must be busy with.
I want to say to the hon Minister that I believe - and it is my private opinion - that none of the ten departments is capable of managing themselves in the whole complexity that they are faced with, without skilled and properly procured outsourcing. That is my experience and I pass it on to you after two years. I thought I could manage all that; we just don't have the resources and skills in the departments to do it.
I also want to say to the hon Minister that vesting is taking too long. It is being passed at the regional level of the hon Minister's department, but it is getting stuck somewhere between there and her. This is crucially needed - land for clinics at Du Noon, land for schools at Grabouw, and so on - and it is just taking too long.
I want to move to the third area, and that is the question of using our assets. I have to say that if we do not use our assets, we are like that person in the Bible who is given talents but goes and buries them in the garden. We may not do that. We have to use the assets we all have at provincial level, at municipal level and, indeed, at national level. They are a treasure chest and, as important as the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, is - and I support the expressions of my colleagues and the hon chairman down there - the most important thing to do is to create permanent decent work. That is the most important thing we have to do. We own these huge assets. If we make them work for us, we are able to create permanent decent work. That has to be the prime goal for South Africa and it is certainly the prime goal for this department.
I understand the hon Minister's putting in place a moratorium while she fishes for thieves and crooks and those who steal the people's money out of her department and deals with them. Sometimes I wish she could deal with them in the way China does, but of course we cannot. Once she has done that, however, I suggest that we should not have a moratorium for too long. We are coming out of a recession where we are simply not growing fast enough to create those permanent decent jobs. Many other countries in the same economic position are using their public built environment to kick- start their economy.
We have started here in the Western Cape, but it is not easy. We have identified underutilised and unutilised pieces of land and we are learning how to work. We have one absolutely key guiding principle: we do not sell our land. We do not sell our land; we lease it. [Interjections.] It is the people's land and it must stay with the people, all right? However, you can lease it and use it to generate revenue to maintain your buildings, schools and roads. [Interjections.] You can use it to generate economic growth. [Interjections.] I am surprised that some people on that side are starting to cackle like the chicken that the hon chair spoke about ... [Interjections.] ... because these are things that I would have thought they would want to do for the people.
The House Chairperson (Mrs N W Magadla): Hon member, your time has expired, and please address the Chairperson, not the audience.
I beg your pardon. I would hope those hon members would want to be part of this process ... [Interjections.] ... of a new beginning that creates decent, permanent work for people using the assets of the state. Thank you, hon Chair. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mudzulatshidulo, mu?homphei Vho Minisi?a, mira?o i ?honifheaho, zwine nda khou tama u ?ahisa zwone nga tshino tshifhinga ndi zwa uri ... [Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, what I want to say at this moment is that ...]
... job creation and a decent work commitment draw their historical strength from the 1955 Freedom Charter's clarion call that states that "the people shall share in the country's wealth".
At the core of this commitment is the belief that political freedom is incomplete without economic emancipation. We have unacceptable levels of poverty and inequalities, and this situation requires us to fight for the eradication of poverty through, amongst others, programmes of government. These programmes need to target and focus on the majority of the people, who are poor, women and young.
The ANC believes that it is not enough to say that a more equitable sharing of economic growth will lead to the creation of jobs. Structural economic challenges require vigorous economic transformation that will lead to job creation.
The ANC at its 52nd national conference in 2007 stated in an economic resolution that the creation of jobs must be the central focus of our economic policies. This was translated into the ANC's 2009 election manifesto priorities.
This budget must ensure that social capital is built through the creation of jobs in co-operatives, burial societies, stokvels and community trusts. For this to happen, the development finance institutions must give support to these programmes. The New Growth Path speaks directly to such initiatives.
When it comes to creating sustainable jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, particularly for the youth and rural women, one can say that significant numbers of jobs have been created by the Department of Public Works through its EPWP in recent years. This commitment is evident in the budget allocated for the EPWP. This programme seeks to promote the creation of additional employment opportunities. It does this by introducing labour-intensive delivery methods and additional employment and skills programmes for the participation of the unemployed in delivering needed services.
The R75 billion is critical to support public employment programmes as a transitional measure towards full and decent employment. It is important that the department addresses the shortcomings in the public employment programmes, more specifically the development of skills to support better employability of EPWP and Community Works Programme, CWP, participants.
We note that the spending focus over the medium term will be on the creation of work opportunities and the provision of training for unskilled, marginalised, and unemployed sections of our society. It is through this type of commitment by the department that we can ensure equitable growth in our country, with skills development as a critical measure to overcome past inequalities, in particular regarding rural women and young persons.
Joblessness and a lack of scarce skills are root causes of poverty and social dislocation. The ANC speaks of job creation and decent work as an integrated process. We need to ensure that the Expanded Public Works Programme increasingly results in sustainable jobs in order to build the economy. Certainly we are concerned about the quality of certain jobs in the EPWP.
We note that the department intends to provide support to public bodies in different sectors to ensure that they reach the set targets in regard to work opportunities and full-time jobs by 2014. As the select committee we shall have to increasingly monitor the targets relating to the youth and how these pan out in the creation of decent jobs.
We will need to monitor the progress with the department's plan to fill its vacancies, especially given the pronouncement in the 2011 state of the nation address that all vacancies in the Public Service must be filled within six months.
Progress reports on the large infrastructure projects planned by the department, the cost escalations incurred due to delays in the tendering process, and the appointment of contractors will all need the dedicated attention of the committee going forward. This must equally apply to changes made to the scope of work once a project has begun.
Ndi khou pfa ndo takala ngauri Vho Minisi?a vho tou zwi amba zwavhu? i uri u avhelwa ha dzithendara, hu ?o imiswa lwa tshifhinga nyana vha tshi itela u thoma u khwa?hisedza uri zwishumiswa zwo?he zwine zwa sa kone u sudzuluswa zwi ?ivhee uri zwi ngafhi. Izwo vha khou zwi itiswa ngauri hu na zwishumiswa zwinzhi zwi sa sudzuluwiho, zwine zwa vha zwan?ani zwa vha?we vhathu. Ho vha na mukumbululo na u dzhiiwa ha ndaka ya muvhuso hu si na thendelo nga tshifhinga tsha u tshintshana ha mivhuso. Vho Minisi?a vha khou amba zwone. Sa vhavhusi, ri?e ri ri vha khou ita zwone. U bva tshe ra swika fhano Phalamenndeni, hezwo ndi zwone zwe ra vha ri tshi khou lila zwone sa komiti yo lavhelesanaho nazwo. (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraph follows.)
[I feel delighted because the Minister said clearly that the awarding of tenders would be stopped for a while so that she could make sure of where the nonrenewable resources were. This has been done because there are many resources that are nonrenewable, which are in the hands of other people. There was the mobilising and takingover of government assets without permission during the time of the transitional government. The Minister is right. As the government, we say she is doing the right thing. Since we arrived here in Parliament, this is what we have been waiting for as the committee responsible for that.]
Indeed we should receive progress reports on the number of women, youth and people with disabilities taking part in different sectors of the EPWP, and what measures have been taken to ensure that the 2% target is reached for the participation in the programme of people with disabilities.
We welcome an estimated 75 women contractors who have had their skills developed in 2011-12 to aid the development of women contractors. This will increase by 90 women contractors in 2012-13 and by 110 in 2013-14.
Part of the challenge that should be addressed by this budget is the need to transform the construction industry so that it is gender-sensitive and conducive to having women in the workforce. This should be done vigorously, and this transformation should change the mindset of both men and women and create equal remuneration and opportunities.
This leads me to a related challenge involving the fronting of women by their male counterparts, knowingly, in order to secure contracts. This practice must just come to an end, and the department must deal decisively with those found to have been involved in this practice by listing them so that they are unable to secure any tender from government again. The promotion of women empowerment in the construction industry is critical for the future of this industry.
Musi ndi tshi vhuelela hafhu murahu kha zwi kwamaho zwishumiswa, Vho Minisi?a vha fanela u sedzesa nga maan?a mafhungo a u tswa nga n?ila ya tshiofisi ngauri ri a ?i zwi pfa zwauri hu na u rengisiwa ha zwithu zwi tshi rengiselwa vhathu mashango?avha, nga maan?a henefha Kapa Vhukovhela. Sa tsumbo, khamusi shango ?i?we shango ?o ?a ?a renga vhu?we vhupo ha fhano. Hezwo zwithu zwi ?o sia hafho hune ha khou rengiswa hu si tsha vha nga fhasi ha ndangulo ya shango ?a Afurika Tshipembe. U ?o wana kwo no vha ku?we kushango kana ku?angadzime, henefha kha ?a Afurika Tshipembe. Musi vha tshi khou sedzesa izwo zwishumiswa, vha sedzese na mafhungo haya a u rengisiwa hadzo dzi tshi rengiselwa vhathu vhann?a, ngeno ri?e vhane vha fhethu ri sa khou kona u shuma. (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraph follows.)
[Coming back to the issue of resources, the Minister should focus on the issue of collusion because we can hear that there is the selling of resources to people in foreign countries, especially here in the Western Cape. For example, perhaps the other country has come to buy a certain area here. This would make the area no longer under the administration of South Africa. You will find it has now become a part of another country, or an island here in South Africa. When focusing on those resources, focus also on collusion in regard to resources with outside people, while we, the owners of the place, do not work.]
In conclusion, we must ensure that this budget provides livelihoods, in particular for the poor, rural women, the youth and people with disabilities. This focus must happen across all provinces in order that we truly create a better life for all our people.
Vho Minisi?a, vha songo vhuya vha tshuwisiwa nga vhathu vhane vha amba ngeno vhone vha tshi zwi ?ivha zwauri vha khou tou lwela fhedzi u tsireledza zwishumiswa zwavho. Havho vhathu a vha na mushumo na ri?e vhe ra vha ro tsikeledzwa kale. Ndi ?o guma nga uri ri khou tikedza hoyu mugaganyagwama 100%. Kha hu sedzuluswe avho vhane vha khou tsireledza zwishumiswa zwavho vha tshi khou shumisa vhadzulapo vha fhano. Hezwo zwi khou tea u fhela. [U vhanda zwan?a.] (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraphs follows.)
[Minister, you should not be intimidated by the people who speak while they know they are just securing their resources. These people do not care about us who were oppressed for a long time. I conclude by saying that we support this budget one hundred percent. Let those who are protecting their resources using our citizens be investigated. This should come to an end. [Applause.]]
Hon Chairperson, we are two days away from June 16, a day on which we honour the lives of our leaders who died while still in their youth, and further celebrate the gains of the liberation struggle. [Interjections.]
This debate is relevant today as the department's focus remains the creation of job opportunities and poverty alleviation through the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, infrastructure development, rehabilitation of immovable assets, provision of financial aid in job creation, and skills development.
I agree with the time frames set by the department for the filling of vacant posts, but job creation remains a challenge for the department. Hence, we need progress reports on the number of women, youth and people with disabilities taking part in the different sectors of the EPWP.
As for the EPWP infrastructure grant, how is the project monitoring done? What informs this allocation? Is it performance-based or what? I'm asking these questions because last year provinces spent only 55% and municipalities spent only 45% of their allocations, respectively.
The department should focus on the rural youth. Remember, it spent only 13% of funds allocated for rural development, which indicates a lack of will to have rural development. Hon Minister, the persistent, ongoing challenge relating to the development of the asset register is not on. That is why the department pays rent on leased properties, while certain state-owned properties are vacant. Furthermore, hon Minister, your asset register should also take care of provinces and municipalities.
Cope is pleased to see that the Minister has made a commitment to cleaning up the department with the six-month moratorium on all new property deals. [Interjections.] However, the fact that the department has asked the so- called experts to clean up the house is mind-boggling. Furthermore, this will have a massive negative impact on employment and projects in the building industry. Where did this all go sour? And how long has it been going on? We cannot allow things to go from bad to worse, without any checkpoints in place.
Cope supports this budget and believes that if the department's strategy can be implemented to the letter, the department's image will be resuscitated and South Africa will be saved. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chair and hon Minister Mahlangu- Nkabinde, I greet you. I saw hon Minister Xingwana, and will address her in absentia. I also greet hon Gigaba. I must state from the outset that I am tempted simply to engage with the debate, instead of looking at this prepared speech of mine.
I just want to say, lest we forget, that the historical mission of the ANC is the creation of a nonracist, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous country. When it speaks of prosperity, the key question should come in: prosperity for whom? And probably, prosperity how?
From that historical mission it can be stated that the answer is simple, that the prosperity we are talking about as the ANC is for a primary motive force of the ANC, which is the working class. In the main it is those who are at the periphery, those who are at the end of the access to these kinds of resources.
As a result of having identified prosperity to benefit this particular primary motive force of our revolution, it needs a particular kind of state to handle it. This is to be able to ensure that the processes, instruments and programmes that are put in place are those that will be driven by this state which the ANC has come to characterise as a developmental state. By a developmental state the ANC simply means a caring and loving state, a state that is going to take responsibility and intervene on behalf of the poor, a state that will put in resources and ensure that such resources tend to benefit the poor. And, as they benefit them, they change their conditions of existence.
This particular department, Public Works, then becomes strategic as a department that will be able to intervene and address the interests of the poor. The key issues that have been identified by the ANC are poverty and unemployment, in particular among young people, women and rural people.
There is a whole misconception about the EPWP, and this becomes problematic if we continue to think of the EPWP in the manner in which we argue in this regard. The EPWP was an interventionist approach by the state, this caring state, in regard to the problem which it saw there.
The market, unfortunately, the capitalists of this world or of South Africa, those who own the means of production, do not have an interest in resolving this problem. They don't have an interest in creating employment. They have not done it. They have, in actual fact, failed when it comes to the issue of job creation. [Applause.] Therefore the state said that it would intervene in the matter and it would create jobs. Whether the capitalists call these short-term jobs or whatever, the state said it would do something in order for people's lives to be better.
Therefore, with regard to the interventionist strategy that was then implemented in the form of the EPWP, from the outset the department said that this was a way of ensuring that it broke the culture of people not working - just the culture of not working. It would create a platform for people to be reoriented - to wake up and go to work and get something. Young people, as they went out there, would be able to include in their CVs the culture of work and capacity to work as things that they had acquired. That was one of the objectives of the EPWP.
Secondly, let me come to the issue of skills, whether you call them short- term skills or whatever. How do we inculcate a spirit of wanting to do something in your own capacity, and wanting to do something in order to be able to get something out of it at the end of the day? Part of the intervention was to create an environment where young people would be able to be trained. For example, they could be welders - just a basic skill to be able to do something for themselves.
When the issue of the EPWP is not understood in its proper context, it has the capacity to divert us from the major issues that we want to deal with. Of course, we as the ANC have accepted that one of the evils we are going to fight is corruption within the state, and we are making bold decisions and resolutions in this regard. As part of doing that, we have even pronounced that it is not only in the manner in which you characterise it. It goes beyond that, to the question of women fronting. It's not only about race or blacks, but about women being used as fronts in the EPWP.
We as the ANC said that these were some of the things that needed to be undone. These were the things that needed to be confronted head-on in the department.
We also said, hon Minister, that there was a lack of capacity at the level of municipalities to drive the EPWP. We raised this matter with the department, saying that part of what the department needed to do was to move into the municipalities to build that capacity.
We have noticed that there is an unevenness, especially when it comes to the expenditure or usage of the infrastructure grants that are being transferred to municipalities, and so forth. As the ANC we feel that this is very important, especially the roles. There is a lack of clarity about the role of the provincial offices. How do they complement the work that they are doing with the provinces by assisting municipalities? That is one of the areas we have said it is probably important that we look at.
Let me come to the other part on economic development, and I think that's where the hon member and I might differ, but this is the position of the ANC as well. The establishment and strengthening of co-operatives is a means of expanding and socialising economic development. That is what we are saying. Moreover, it is not only that. As a committee and as members we are engaging with the department. Not only is it about the establishment and the funding of co-operatives, but the education that goes with that. Co- operatives, as compared to the small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, are totally different. It's a total paradigm shift in thinking about what their contribution is; what their working values and culture are; and how people see themselves as beneficiaries of these co-operatives. Therefore, that mindset, the thinking of the participants, especially young people, is very important.
Unfortunately, the orientation of the South African population in economic terms has always been influenced by capitalist values. Once a person thinks of getting involved in a tender that was given to a co-operative, the first thing he or she thinks is: "What I am going to get at the end of the day? Am I going to get rich quickly out of this kind of thing?" If they can't get rich quickly, they get frustrated. That is why you find that many co- operatives which were established with good intentions collapse and do not achieve the objectives they wanted to achieve. I think that it is important that over and above the establishment, support and all the other things to do with this, the department should educate people. The education is quite critical, hon Minister.
I don't know where the hon Groenewald got what he said about the Western Cape, but let me not glorify the issues that he raised and the manner in which he did so.
As I conclude, let me say that we want to congratulate the department, especially on the manner in which it has set itself the goal of ensuring that it confronts corruption and deals with it once and for all, unlike other people who, of course, want to claim to be champions of fighting corruption. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chair, I thank all the members who participated in the debate you very much. I think the ideas that are coming from the hon members are the ones that we are going to be using in Public Works, because the majority of the people who spoke were very positive and added value to the work of Public Works. We really want to thank you very much for that.
I want to start with the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP. The hon Tau spoke at length about the matter. I still want to hear from the recipients or the beneficiaries of EPWP opportunities about any condemnation of EPWP, but you will never find that.
That is because they understand that even when the economy of this country was growing, before we had the recession, the economy did not produce jobs. It is for that reason that the ANC said that they would do an intervention - they should come up with something. This was the EPWP. Where it operates, the people who benefit from it love the EPWP, because they can take food to their children because of it. We do not want our people to be begging on the streets.
What the EPWP is saying is that it should go into the communities and be with people and assist them. We have started in the Free State, where people are going to be looking after their own internal streets. They don't have to travel anywhere; they've got to work for themselves there, and the EPWP is going to be taking care of them. We have looked at the matter of skills and spoken to Salga. We have already met because we have understood the challenges that the municipalities are faced with. We have also agreed at the national level that some of our officials might have to be deployed to municipalities, to go and make sure that the skills that are necessary are actually transferred there. That is how serious we are in saying that people should be able to access the EPWP and make sure that it makes a difference in people's lives. It does make a difference.
I don't want to take much of your time because we agreed on most things. However, to the hon Groenewald, if you had listened when I spoke, you would have heard me say that this department had made a call to all those people who had state assets in their hands, assets which did not belong to them. We are going to give them six months to bring them back if they want to be legitimised, but if they do not come back within the six months, the law will kick in.
Regarding all the problems that you spoke about, for example, the houses, in fact, you are the first person who should come and speak to us, because you are so knowledgeable about corrupt activities that are occurring elsewhere. [Interjections.] Please! Bring that information and if these people do not come forward within the six months, I promise you, you and I will make sure that they are sent to jail. [Applause.]
We are definitely going to hold the workshops that we spoke about. Let me tell you that I called in the professional services in Public Works. A lot of you will be surprised that we have professionals in Public Works. Why are we outsourcing so many functions, when we have professionals? We have had a tendency of getting the work that can be done by the people that we have in the department outsourced to people who are actually equal in terms of education. Now they have to do the work, because once it is done outside, any price can be asked and we have stopped that. We have introduced a new word, "insourcing". We are using the capacity that we have in the department to make sure that we can build the assets of the state with the people that we have. They are already receiving a salary; there is no need for us to be paying consultants when we can consult our own people, as we are paying for those people.
We have agreed that we are going to hold the workshops. We have over 9 000 artisans. I went on for two weeks, calling for South Africans who are artisans or who are just about to complete their studies to come forward. Hon members, you must understand that even when you have finally got a degree, you still need to have experience. That is the level where the majority of our people, especially the African people, have been frustrated. The system would make sure that you didn't proceed. We cannot say that the private sector should give them that experience.
Now we have taken a decision with the deputy directors-general, DDGs, that we are going to make sure that Public Works becomes the place where they are going to get the necessary experience. Once they have the experience, we will make sure that we employ them, because what is the purpose of giving them experience and the next thing we leave them at home? How did we get these 9 000? These people tell us that they have been there and that they are qualified, but the system rejects them. We will bring them back.
If you look at the property ownership in this country, it makes you think. Who are the people who own properties in this country? Where do they come from, at the expense of South Africans? Those are some of the things that we are asking. Let us look at it and change those kinds of things so that our own people can be seen to be property owners. Of course, you know very well that they are sent from pillar to post because that is an area which is not meant for people who are emerging!
Look at a simple thing. We have adopted "Re ya patala" in Public Works to make sure that when you have done work for us, you are paid. The state says payment should be made within 30 days. But we have managed through our CFO to introduce a system of payment within 14 days. So, even if you are late, you still have another 16 days to play around with, but it should be within 14 days.
Whom do we pay? We pay the main contractor. Under him are the people that he has subcontracted and he chooses whether to pay them on time or not. Most of the people that are complaining that they are not being paid are not the people whom we have the contract with. They are the people that are subcontracting, and these are the emerging black contractors that are trying to make a living. Once you don't pay them, it means you have killed them and kicked them out of the system. We need to come up with something. These are some of the areas that we are going to ask you as a select committee and portfolio committee to help us with.
There is just no way that we cannot support the co-operatives. They have worked very well in KZN. I don't know how they make it possible, but they have worked very well. My time is running out, but I think we need to have a post-budget select committee meeting, where we go through all the areas that have been raised.
We owe it to our nation, hon members. South Africa needs us. We can create those jobs. Let us put politics and other things aside, and look at the nation and say that with our mandate as Public Works we can change the face of South Africa, and I know that we can. We can empower youth, women and people with disabilities because we have the commitment, the drive and at least a little bit of money. Let us use it before we complain that we don't have enough money!
Let's make sure that we go out, especially to the small corners of this country where there is no access to the television. Let's go there and assist our people - they need us there. You have me too. I will support you in any of your projects that you have, whether it's in your municipality or elsewhere. Where I am able to come, I will come. That is because I see one country - there is one big South Africa which is run by the ANC. As a member of that organisation, I will be available wherever you would like us to make a difference. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Sorry, Chair. Mr Groenewald has said that I must not tell the Minister about his farm in Kroonstad. [Interjection.] I won't tell you about his farm; it's a secret farm. [Laughter.]
Debate concluded.