Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act provides in section 7(1) that the Minister must table the national annual Budget in the National Assembly as set out in section 27 of the Public Finance Management Act at the same time as the Appropriation Bill. This indeed happened on 23 February 2011.
Upon tabling of the Budget, both the National Assembly and the NCOP are required to refer it to committees of Finance and Appropriations for consideration and reporting. The Fiscal Framework and the Division of Revenue Bill were adopted with the support of all parties represented in this House on 10 March and 12 April respectively. The Appropriation Bill set out the strategic priorities, measurable objectives and other performance information for each department, public entity or institution, against its expected revenue and its proposed expenditure by programme and sub-programme and economic items.
Hon Chairperson, today, as we adopt the Appropriation Bill, we complete the Budget process and release resourses to various departments and provinces in the form of conditional grants. We do so mindful of the reality that the financial year has already commenced and departments are incurring expenditure in terms of section 29 of the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, which makes provision for spending before the Budget is passed.
It therefore follows that departmental activities may be constrained should there be any delays and/or failure to pass the Bill into law. Such failure and delays would not only affect departments or provinces, but would actually fail those whom we are representing here - the people. It would furthermore create serious service delivery backlogs and have the potential of projecting our government as irresponsible and uncaring; and it is in this context that our support for the Bill should be understood and further challenge and expose the agenda of those objecting to it.
Hon Chairperson, the objections to some Budget Votes, support for others and objection to the entire Bill show the confusion and contradiction within the opposition parties - the DA and ID to be precise. By their actions, they want to tell the nation that the national revenue funds, that is tax monies, are appropriated to programmes and activities that would not improve their livelihoods and bring a better life. They are actually showing their lack of support for government priorities as endorsed by the people who entrusted the ANC with the task to lead. They are actually objecting to the ANC, not to the Budget. For if this is not the case, why are they not telling the nation that they have, as early as 12 April, supported the adoption of the Division of Revenue Bill? They conveniently hide from the nation the fact that whilst on television, and hopefully through print and electronic media, they appear to be against the Appropriation Bill and some departments' Budget Votes, as Members of Parliament, as provinces and as parties, they already benefited from the very resourses we seek to release today. They don't tell the nation that the very salaries they earn, as Members of Parliament, come from the Budget Vote of Parliament that they objected to.
They fail to tell the nation that the Western Cape province, and by extension its municipalities, are already rolling out programmes funded through the conditional grants they received from the very budgets they are opposing. Hon Chairperson, this is scandalous, to say the least.
Our people should know that there are Rules and procedures governing all that we do here at Parliament and we, as members of the ruling party, will never deliberately do anything detrimental to the plight of our people. We put their interests first, hon Gunda. [Interjections.]
Hon Chairperson, I rise on a point of order: Is it correct for the speaker to say that parties who object to certain Votes and call for divisions are actually against the Rules of the House? The speaker says that the House has certain Rules and we should not go against them.
Well, he didn't say that parties have the right in terms of the Rules to object and to agree. Continue, hon member. Mr Watson, you are protected by the Rules of this House. [Interjections.]
Listening is the skill, hon Watson. In line with the provisions of the Constitution, the PFMA and the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, the Cabinet members have tabled their strategic plans for thorough scrutiny by various committees of Parliament. Such a process culminated in debates in the House, thus affording us another opportunity to enrich and contribute to forward planning by the departments.
We are satisfied that such processes were inclusive of all parties represented in Parliament - including the DA and ID. Their objection to the entire Bill should not be taken as it seems, but be seen as a mere public relations exercise by people who find it difficult to be led, to fool the people into thinking that the ANC government and its parliamentarians are failing. Various committees have, during the debates, demonstrated that they indeed take their oversight role seriously and would continue to hold the executive accountable, despite coming from the same party.
It is, therefore, my pleasure to report that after careful consideration of and engagement with the National Treasury on the Appropriation Bill, the committee has mandated me to table the Bill before this House for adoption without any proposed amendments.
It is further encouraging that departments, save for a few, have complied with the President's call for Ministers to reflect on their strategic plans and their contribution to job creation. We call on those who have failed to do so to follow suit. We are satisfied that in spite of the limited resourses that we have, the government priorities will make a dent in our needs and will ultimately overcome the current challenges we are facing.
In conclusion, hon Chairperson, I call on all our opposition parties to join hands with us in the war against wasteful expenditure, and unauthorised and fruitless expenditure, as well as the general tendency of departments and provinces to underspend, as this creates the breeding ground for corruption, our number one enemy.
Let us shun mediocrity and excel in what we are called to do: to serve and free our people from the chains of poverty, inequality, unemployment and underdevelopment. To achieve this, we need one another. We need to share our thoughts on how ours can be transformed into a better society. We should appreciate each other's roles and responsibility and respect the wishes of those who elected each one of us.
Hon Chairperson, on that note, I table the Bill for adoption. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, on a point of order: Some derogatory remarks have been made about Mrs Van Lingen. We have apologised to the Chief Whip as she went for a serious operation. So I really ask the members who have made those remarks to withdraw.
Hon member, just withdraw that if that request has been made. There was a request made for Mrs Van Lingen. She has just undergone an operation and somebody has made some derogatory remarks. I don't know who that is. Can you just withdraw that and let us move on. Who is the member?
Hon Adams said that Mrs Van Lingen came to her senses when somebody else said that they had already lost one member.
Mr Adams, did you say that?
Yes, I withdraw, although I do not know what is so derogatry.
Okay, I am not too sure whether "she has come to her senses" is actually derogatory.
I would like, perhaps, before I even rule on that one, to look at whether the words "come to her senses" are derogatory. I don't believe it is actually derogatory but let us look at it in order to be fair to everybody. It seems as if I have a ruling quickly. Let me hear from the Table.
I am advised that, in terms of our Rules, procedures and practice, the words are not derogatory. There is therefore no need to apologise. We move on.
Debate concluded.
Declarations of vote:
Hon Chair, on behalf of the DA we make the declaration that we are indeed opposed to this Bill in its totality, primarily because the funding is directed in a wasteful and inefficient manner and indeed the history of the spending of the ANC has been corrupt, inefficient and wasteful. We are not opposed to government expenditure, but to the way the expenditure is made, and in terms of this Bill, it is not efficient and not done in a way which will lead to the creation of jobs and economic development in the country that we all love so dearly. Thank you, hon Chair.
Chairperson, as the ANC we are satisfied with how the monies have been appropriated. The issues of corruption are isolated issues; they are not in all the departments, as hon Lees wants to mislead the House. We are satisfied that the programmes as adopted by our government are genuine and were even supported by the same DA during the adoption of the Division of Revenue Bill earlier this year. We are satisfied that in terms of the plans that have been submitted by various departments, all monies will be used for a good cause to bring a better life to our people. I thank you, Chair.
On behalf of Cope, the real one, led by President Mosiuoa Lekota, I just want to register the declaration of Cope regarding this issue.
We had a very specific approach. We did not have a carte blanche approach, where we just decided to oppose everything. Because of that, we thought it sensible to disagree on specific Votes, but, in all, to agree on the Appropriation Bill.
The last issue is that I am just concerned that the DA might not get their salaries at the end of the month and that is why we have decided to support it. [Laughter.]
Division demanded.
The Council divided:
AYES - 36: Adams, F; Boroto, M G; Chaane, T E; De Beer, C J; De Beer, O; Dikgale, M C; Feldman, D B; Gamede, D D; Jacobs, M P; Maine, M C; Makgate, M W; Makhubela, M W; Mashamiate, T A; Mashile, B L; Matila, A G; Mazosiwe, S S; Mlenzana, Z; Mncube, B V; Mnguni, B A; Mofokeng, T M H; Mokgobi, M H; Mokgoro, G G; Moshodi, M L; Nesi, B; Ntwanambi, N D; Nyambi, A J; Nzimande, L P M; Plaatjie, S H; Qikani, A N D; Rantho, D Z; Rasmeni, R N; Sibande, M P; Sinclair, K A; Tau, R J; Themba, M P ; Zulu, M M M.
NOES - 8: Abrahams, B L; De Villiers, M J R; Faber, W F; Groenewald, H B; Gunda, J J; Lees, R A; Watson, A; Worth, D A.
Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.