House Chair, hon members, Ministers, office of the Chief Whip, our theme of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's 128th Assembly in Ecuador is: From unrelenting growth to powerful development Buen Vivir: New approaches, new solutions.
Buen Vivir is a Spanish concept used in Latin America to describe alternatives to development focused on life in its totality. The term is actively used by social movements and it has become a popular term in some government programmes. It has even found its way into two new constitutions of Ecuador and Bolivia respectively.
This Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly provides us with an opportunity to reflect on holistic development which will bring tangible improvements to the living standards of our respective people. Here in South Africa we have been living and experiencing the Buen Vivir principle, which we call Batho Pele - a Sotho term meaning people first.
The Batho Pele principle has formed the cornerstone of our government's approach towards governing. In so doing our government is striving for development which results in a good life for our people. Basically, this is what this concept is all about. It's about a people-centred approach towards governance and development.
This concept really provokes us to question our own economic decisions. It points to the importance of ensuring that growth serves our people and is not something we seek for its own sake. It builds on the need to strengthen communities and solidarity and to respect the natural environment. On the basis of this concept economic growth is a means to improve people's lives, not something we seek for its own sake or to serve the needs of a selected few at the expense of the collective. The concept demands that we should not see the economy as the only overriding consideration, but rather as a piece in a large puzzle with other important pieces such as the environment, social cohesion, eradication of sexual violence, ethical protection of human rights, promotion of sound ethical values, eradicating corruption and many other social ills. Clearly, this is a revolutionary concept which challenges many of our liberal assumptions about economic growth and development.
It is linked to the idea that given the limits on growth and the human need for social cohesion, we must think more carefully about what constitutes a good life in social and emotional terms. To recognise that the consumption and the amassing of wealth cannot become our main goal as individuals, as a country, as a continent or as a global community. In short, it helps us to aim at providing an alternative to the economy's narrow pursuit of growth at all costs.
As many of you are aware, we come from the era where growth looked after the interests of the few and ignored the whole culture of human rights and undermined efforts to sustain the environment. It created the haves and the have-nots, and some people were humiliated and lived in shame and their dignity was completely destroyed. But still, at that time we were talking about growth and wealth in the country.
Hon members, probably no country in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, or indeed in the world has greater first-hand knowledge of why growth in itself is not a panacea than South Africans.
The forbears of the history and tradition of the liberation movement of this country held a view that we need to transform the character of economic growth. The Freedom Charter does not simply say we must grow the economy, but rather that we must transform it. It starts with the affirmation that:
Our country will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities.
Today, during this phase of our transformation agenda, both the National Development Plan, NDP, and New Growth Path, NGP, are premised on a view that if economic growth continues to reproduce the deep social divisions and inequality created under apartheid, we would not be able to build a cohesive society. If South Africa continues as a disproportionate source of global warming emissions we will face major disruptions in the future.
Our responsibility is to seek transformation not only within our country, but across our continent and the globe. Increasingly, we see the rest of Africa and the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Brics, as important partners, not just for trade, but also for shifting the global balance of power in ways that make it possible to achieve a better life for the majority across the globe. We are surviving revolutionaries with a moral mission.
We know from our complex and bitter experiences that the unemployed, the poor and the wretched of the earth do not have a good life. But that does not also mean that the converse is true-that consuming selfishly will by itself create a good life or is conducive to one's wellbeing and happiness. As the theme underscores the challenge, ours is to rethink our paradigms - our basic assumptions.
I also want to bring another important aspect of this concept. Our commitment of opening youth employment opportunities indeed demonstrates the resolve and commitment to sustainable growth and the future. When young people are unemployed their challenge is not only material poverty.
For many unemployment excludes them from key social processes: from the chance to serve society, to determine the future of the country and to grow into responsible citizens; from being in defence of their inheritance by preserving water, being committed to gender equality, the culture of human rights, social justice; from taking leadership in their communities; and being carriers of values and principles which restored the dignity of this country.
That is why our efforts around the youth accord focus not simply on increasing youth employment, but also on building youth brigades and expanding internships. We need to ensure that young people are well equipped to serve their communities and become part of a broader social movement of champions of democracy and peace.
We are obliged to meet the expectations of our people through building communities that are dynamic, resilient and cohesive. We have to end the deep divisions that apartheid naturalised. It is about building solidarity and mutual respect across the country.
Parliament is a strategic point of leverage and parliamentarians are crucial centres of democracy. It is through Parliament that people have a voice, oversee government and influence legislation.
There are a few questions which we can ask as to how we could get there. The use of Parliament as a site of solidarity and struggle is particularly important for South Africans. We remember how in the 1980s the Association of West European Parliamentarians for Action Against Apartheid mobilised a thousand parliamentarians across Europe in support of our resolve to dismantle apartheid.
This is the kind of parliamentary activism that drives changes which we should at all times aspire to. It is the dedication to people-driven social transformation that participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union should aim at.
During the coming session we as South Africans must be visible and eloquently raise our voices in enriching discussions on Buen Vivir by citing the values of our National Development Plan: Vision for 2030 and the New Growth Path, which are our present day government's strategy. We should at all times, in solidarity with our allies, stay together in defence of our values and collectively name and dismantle ideological approaches which entrench individual interests and privileges and undermine wealth distribution amongst all who are in the land. Our motto is: People first, the people shall govern, and power to the people. I thank you. [Applause.]
House Chairperson, we know by now that the concept buen vivir is based on indigenous traditions and values. Not only is it the political platform, it is a platform for the development of different visions and alternatives to modern development. A term used by many social movements, it has also become popular amongst government policies around the world and found its way into the constitutions of Ecuador and Bolivia. It is a concept that allows for a move to alternatives from a development that is without care for the environment, peoples' heritage and future generations.
The DA believes that our environment is under significant pressure from a growing economy, climate change, water scarcity and an ever increasing population.
The DA's vision of an open opportunity society in which citizens have money, power and the opportunity to develop themselves requires a healthy environment. A healthy environment is needed for the creation of a productive population. A healthy environment with access to clean water, clean energy and clean air is essential if we are to win the fight against HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, TB.
The DA has created policies in which we offer alternative ideas and many alternative solutions to ensure that we are not left with a degraded environment that will minimise opportunity for all South Africans.
We urgently need re-engineering of the energy economy to realise the global move to low-carbon economies. The DA believes that appropriate regulation and incentives can create new markets for independent power producers, particularly in the field of renewable energy. This will improve energy security while mitigating our contribution to climate change. Literally thousands of jobs can be created by unleashing these new technologies. We desperately need to move away from the focus of the production of electricity by the state and the state alone.
The DA's approach to environmental management is at all times infused with the vision of a prosperous law-abiding society, with a sensible regulated market economy, an educated and healthy population, never underestimating the need for a safety net for the poor.
The DA has a plan for growth and job creation in our country. We have developed ideas and solutions to problems that face our country while we grow not only our infrastructure, but also our economy. Some of our proposals include: Adopting a transversal approach to environmental management through integrating permitting and planning; separating Eskom's different functions to encourage competition and maximise efficiency; investing in water storage and distribution infrastructure ensuring that there are upgrades and expansion; implementing climate change adaptation programmes; and introducing measures to assist entrepreneurs and communities to participate and benefit from these environmental programmes.
The DA would replace the current industrial policy action plan with a simpler and streamlined industrial development growth strategy, the twin aims of which will be to correct market failures resulting from information constraints and co-ordination constraints. We would support related business activity, as well as the necessary infrastructure that is now absent. Our industrial development growth strategy will be based on an engagement between the state, private sector, policy forums, parliaments and Nedlac.
In his reply to the state of the nation address, Minister Malusi Gigaba proudly informed Parliament of the following: The Medupi Project was 58% complete; the Kusile Project was 19% complete; th Ingula Project was 58% complete; and only 63% of the network deployed for digital migration is in place. With statistics like these, the term used for this debate, namely "unrelenting growth", simply bears no significance.
More and more South Africans are realising on a daily basis that we need to create our own version of buen vivir. What would we call it? The Italians would call it la bella vita, the Afrikaners would call it, "die goeie lewe", the English would call it "the good life". One thing is for sure; South Africans living in the Western Cape call the DA government "the good life." [Applause.]
Chairperson, the question of unrelenting growth to purposeful development is a global responsibility, and not just that of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, but of every government and its citizens. When a solution to this integrated challenge is negotiated, there are various factors that governments need to consider. This consideration starts with an inclusive world vision, strategy, collective thinking, participative consultation and implementation through sustainable approaches, with the right legislative frameworks and governance processes along with aid put in place to address this unique challenge.
The IPU is such a political forum that works closely with the UN and other multilateral bodies to ensure that there is a parliamentary dimension in the international co-operation, global governance, as well as in the resolution of major international issues and negotiating a collective wellness. Notwithstanding the IPU as a political network, partnership with citizens is critical to preserve and secure purposeful development.
The developmental framework of a nation state as a guiding compass is becoming more and more a toolkit for governments in the world to ensure global wellness. The world as we know it today must be preserved for generations to come. We must motivate collective thinking, planning and innovation, and how best we can negotiate new approaches.
Through finding new solutions to responsive governance, fair bilateral knowledge sharing, reasonableness and thinking proactively in an effort to achieve innovative strategies to preserve general good living or wellbeing are holistic. It has primarily to do with individual needs. Here the basic needs by Abraham Maslow become pertinent. However, when perceived from the societal perspective, one needs to include spiritual needs, individual developmental and empowerment needs.
This brings into question inter-parliamentary foresight to ensure that the legislation and implementation processes secure unrelenting growth. The IPU Assembly debate would seek to evaluate how a nation's Parliament monitors the degree of implementing this guiding strategic framework. The general question for this nation's parliament remains how effective it is to do oversight and pursue results from the implementation.
If we use a South African situation in this argument to illustrate the relevance of using the current unemployment status as reflected in the last quarter of 2012, we are confronted with the following realities: The unemployment rate declined to 24,9% of the labour force in 2012 from 25,5% in the previous quarter. This amounted to 4,5 million people without work in the fourth quarter ... [Interjections.]
Hon Ramatlakane, would you just take your seat for a moment? I would appreciate it if Mr Waters and his mate could lower their voices. I can't hear the speaker. Thank you. Please continue.
Thank you, hon Chairperson. This reflects how unsecure industrial labour issues affect households, their quality of life and the general wellness of communities. It highlights the threats to individual and group development, quality of life and how society shares in the wealth of the country.
Here society becomes despondent about the socioeconomic realities but also about how government secures its processes to secure their wellness or wellbeing. Equally, there is a negative impact on moral development and such trends are counterproductive and regress the world vision of unrelenting growth. Dependency becomes a factor and it places enormous pressure on the fiscal planning and development of countries and requires innovative thinking.
The key pillars of good living provide insight into a set of challenges that the nation's parliament or nation state should particularly deal with: a constitutional and democratic revolution; an ethical revolution; an economic, productive and agrarian revolution; a social revolution, and revolution in defence of dignity, sovereignty and integration.
This is not just a government problem, but one that requires the direct involvement of society to move away from dependency. When viewing these five pillars, also adding socioeconomic problems and burdening growth, the world needs to look at sustainable approaches. This must be guided by innovative strategies, collective bargaining, bringing together out-of-the- box methodologies, incentives to improve wellness through empowerment, education and motivation. When the society is encouraged to preserve, develop and create spontaneous wealth using their environment and available resources to become self-supporting, then the issue of wellness becomes a critical factor of survival with a new meaning - assisting each other to be creative, to find a path to achieve the five critical key pillars, catering for their initiatives based on Maslow needs "look out for your community". This does not just refer to individuals or societies alone, but includes the approach of countries regarding how best to find solutions.
Parliaments around the world need to create more than just financial support amongst people to secure wellness. If we look at South Africa, which has a National Development Plan with a 10-key critical action plan, it gives insight that the developmental plan by its nature is a long-term vision for which you have to plan. The government needs a long-term vision to secure delivery. The change around the wellness is embodied in the collective and holistic approach to the change. It is an individual awareness in approach and equal to countries' awareness to secure greater effective processes.
A further important aspect will be dealing with responsibilities to protect government and the national state. I thank you. [Applause.]
Madam House Chairperson, as I was listening very carefully to the speakers who preceded me and trying to have a sense of this debate, two concerns or ideas rolled around in my mind. The first is that I have foundout myself, together with many other colleagues in the past three months, after spending about 40 hours discussing how we don't have time to every now and then spend an hour in this House discussing a vote of no confidence.
The second concern that I had was the purpose of a debate like this. A party like ours and many others have made extensive submissions to the National Planning Commission on effective proposals on what can be done to turn the country around. In Parliament at this late hour, in an empty House, we collect this potpourri of ideas, this collage of notions relating to all that which counts in the very great equation of what makes life worth living and what government can do to achieve that goal.
I would rather see a parliament which focuses on a single issue and has the courage to drive the issue ahead in spite of government not moving. I would rather see a parliament which adopts resolutions, binds the executive and enforces action. I would rather see a parliament which intervenes with its own legislation. We all agree that the flexibility of the labour market is a problem and that this Parliament should do something of its own accord to amend the Labour Relations Act, even where the executive seems to have its hands tied.
I would have liked to see this Parliament taking the initiative in ordering the executive to implement the youth subsidy, which was at one point a matter of general consensus. These are the opportunities that this Parliament loses time and again and replaces with the satisfaction of having an omnibus debate about how to achieve freedom and happiness in small packages capable of being distributed to everyone.
The other thing that went through my mind is that, yes, we are having this debate, but we can't really have a debate over Nkandla. The Speaker will not allow that because that is not a matter of public importance. However, a general debate about happiness for all seems to be important. I do not want to ridicule what we are doing here. I think it is important that we discuss it, but for as long as we discuss the formula for happiness, and if that is all we are doing, I think we are failing the great potential that Parliament has to transform dreams into reality through something called volition.
There is an ancient English word which unfortunately has fallen away in institutions, it is called velleity. Velleity is the lowest form of volition. It is the volition that does not turn into action. We must make sure that in this and in other debates this Parliament does not fall prey to and become guilty of exactly that - of velleity - of merely wishing and hoping rather than mastering the strength of forging solutions through the powers that the Constitution gives us as a Parliament. We should not wait for the executive. Parliament is there to give policy instructions to the executive and pass legislation to solve the many problems that have been so correctly identified by the speakers preceding me. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, colleagues, hon members, it's just a pity that the DA lost the opportunity to put across their view on this very important topic today. [Interjections.] I think they used this space as an electioneering campaign rather than focusing on the topic of today. The time will come when we will really put forward our policy proposals before the electorates. That's when you can test your policy proposals.
Today, it will be helpful to briefly remind ourselves of the importance of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, particularly in light of its more focused and strategic path for the next five years up to 2017.
The IPU is the world's only global forum for parliamentary dialogue. This means that developing countries have an opportunity to influence the policy direction of governments, including those of regional and continental parliaments. In addition, the IPU participates in enhancing the development objectives of the United Nations. The theme for this year's General Assembly reflects a number of global concerns that have arisen in the last decade and relate to both economic and global governance concerns. It also reflects a degree of dialectical confusion in that growth and development are mutually reinforcing concepts and principles which underpin any growth in society. Therefore, to suggest that we move from one to the other negates the dialectics of development itself. I hope the DA is listening.
The debates on the global economy have equally, over the past decade, brought to the fore the dangers of purely relying on what the theme calls, for namely unrelenting growth, at the expense of its related components. Most economies that have gone in this direction soon reached a stage of recession, precisely because economies are driven by a multiplicity of factors, and mere growth alone does not lead to the requisite development, which in turn drives the gross domestic product of any country.
The second concern regarding the theme is on global governance. The use of the concept Buen Vivir, in addition to what the Deputy Minister has indicated, refers to a powerful principle meaning life in harmony and equilibrium between men and women, between different communities and above all, between human beings and the natural environment of which they are part.
This concept, applied to global governance around the world, critiques the disequilibrium we see in the increased inequality amongst nations. Buen Vivir represents a break from the past, the old and untransformed - a paradigm shift in the ways of doing things.
This break from the past is directed by the sense of urgency we see in the need to prevent and respond innovatively to continental conflicts, climate change, poverty, unemployment, and by linking economic development to sustainable development.
For the South African delegation attending the 128th Assembly in Ecuador, we have a shining example of how the philosophy of Buen Vivir can be articulated in the debates of the Assembly and the many fringe meetings that will take place. It is our own Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic and the vision of the National Development Plan, including other frameworks that we have developed. I quote the vision:
The country we seek to build by 2030 is just, fair, prosperous and equitable. Most of all, it is a country that each and every South African can proudly call home.
My focus is, however, on our responsibility as parliamentarians in this, since that is what the IPU is about. Parliaments are responsible for safeguarding the rights of vulnerable communities by enabling political discussions on how to improve the lives of civilians in the face of rising inequality, narrowing growth margins and greater monopoly capital control over economies.
Among some of the Buen Vivir moments that we must advance is the work of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum where all 15 national parliaments of the SADC are represented. This body serves as an instrument for consolidating democracy and deepening purposeful development for the entire region.
The key role played by the SADC Parliamentary Forum is that of uniting regional parliaments with the outlook to the near future of a fully constituted regional parliament with powers and regional oversight on matters such as growth and development, which are central to the future of SADC and also a reflection of what the 128th IPU Assembly is looking at in developing countries.
The oversight role played by both regional and the Pan-African parliaments over the expansion of regional economic markets is an opportunity to influence the direction of development and the flow of finances and resources. This requires and inspires innovation because the priorities of our continent differ from the more developed economies and, as such, strategies must speak to these differences.
Through influencing global trade negotiations, parliaments can mobilise support for necessary trade reforms that benefit developing nations.
Parliaments assume a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts and supporting democracies in transition by providing a platform for all voices to be heard. The IPU supports this initiative by implementing technical assistance projects focused on assisting parliaments to improve accountability and transparency. These projects include capacity-building, enhancing transparency and combating corruption.
Central to the IPU's development agenda is its growing scope for international co-operation on development. The fact that there is now greater demand for the IPU to interact more closely with organisations like the United Nations, signifies a call for all member states to prioritise the interactive relations that the theme of this 128th Assembly calls for.
In this regard, the IPU shares internationally agreed development commitments with the United Nations and, as such, it assists parliaments in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
A new vision for development has emerged in the IPU. This includes greater representation and participation of parliaments in crafting sustainable development goals. As a result, fewer gaps in overarching development goals, resulting in more focused and more sustainable development plans from member states, have taken place over the past years.
Representation of women in the legislature and the mainstreaming of gender are integral to the IPU's vision for equitable development. The IPU itself shares information and good practices for advancing gender equality. At a regional level, the SADC Parliamentary Forum promotes awareness of vulnerable, minority and special groups in the business of Parliament.
To address the potentially irreversible threat to our planet, the IPU mobilises its members to take urgent climate-related action. Climate change has proven the unsustainability of the current production and consumption model. The philosophy of Buen Vivir encompassed in the government's call for a better life for all challenges the 128th Assembly of the IPU to look at alternatives to unrelenting growth.
South Africa is one such country that has responded to this call to move away from unrelenting growth into the era of sustainable development. Our values, our principles and our plans for the country have now been documented comprehensively in the National Development Plan - a development- oriented vision taking us up to 2030.
On growth and development, South Africa will foster state intervention that promotes equitable distribution of resources. Government, labour, business and civil society will have to work together to make this project succeed. Specific details will be shed on this overarching plan by the ANC speaker that will follow me.
People-centred development upholds the highest ethical standards and involves and attracts the participation of different communities. The IPU serves to enhance the protection of human rights by actively calling on governments to mainstream national development that is in tandem with regional interests.
This momentum of harmony with people, harmony within the economy in a globalised world, and harmony with the environment is kept alive through the participation of parliaments in influencing policy and decision-making in the direction that respective governments seek to develop.
I will urge our colleagues on the left-hand side to really try that, by influencing this particular Parliament. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chair, from unrelenting growth to purposeful development, Buen Vivir. When translated it means good living. In this context there is an alternative concept of development. It is living in harmony with other people and with nature, and it eliminates the separation between nature and society. One area where South Africa has seemed hell-bent on growth while determined, despite considerable risk, to ignore the concerns of people, is genetic modification. Genetically modified organisms have produced unrelenting growth and we have witnessed technological leaps forward in many fields, from mosquito de-arming to the new genetically modified, GM, flu vaccine. Many scientists, however, question the wisdom of taking risks where GM foodstuffs are concerned.
Inadequate risk assessment and approval procedures in South Africa are fuelling concerns that long-term health impacts for people who eat maize every day could be seriously problematic. The particular maize in question is Monsanto's Roundup Ready Maize NK603, which constitutes 40% - that is nearly half - of South Africa's maize crop. My understanding is that no other government has allowed its staple food to be genetically modified and the ACDP has called on government to examine relevant findings. The ACDP has also called for a debate on this subject which has implications for other genetically modified organisms, GMOs, on the market.
It is widely acknowledged that the safety data prepared by the manufacturer, on which our government based its approval, is nowhere near as robust as the new French study recently published, which shows that it could be seriously hazardous. The usual three-month tests show no risk but the peer-reviewed and applauded French study showed significant development of cancerous tumours after four months. When carried out over the full lifespan of rats, tests showed disturbingly high mortality rates and severe impacts on kidney and liver functioning.
In addition to this, the pesticide that is always paired with this GM maize, called glyphosate, which is also marketed by Monsato, showed impacts on liver, kidneys and mammary gland functioning.
The ACDP, in response to concerns raised by the African Centre for Biosafety and others, has been calling for an immediate ban on the import and cultivation of this GMO maize. Our GMO law and the international law are based on the precautionary principle that when there is a possibility of harm, all activities must be stopped, even in the face of scientific uncertainty.
Our staple food is being compromised by GMOs and the government's lack of response is very disturbing. The ACDP supports the concept of moving from unrelenting growth to purposeful and safe development, new approaches and new solutions, which is the subject of this Inter-Parliamentary Union debate. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson and hon Ministers, I have not changed my name yet and I don't intend changing it. No, I am not going to change my name, Chief Whip. The 128th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly is going to be held in Quito in Ecuador, from 22 to 27 March this year under the theme: From unrelenting growth to purposeful development: New approaches, new solutions.
Purposeful economic development is a process whereby an economy's real national income increases over a long time. This includes the development of agriculture, industry, trade, transport and power resources. The key elements of purposeful economic development include supply chains, geographical or location factors such as proximity to services, availability of labour, appropriate tax regimes, as well as a favourable regulatory environment.
On the other hand, unrelenting growth refers to unprecedented economic growth that surpasses all expectations, much like what we have seen in the four Asian tiger economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and the Republic of China, also known as Taiwan.
At the heart of realising that economic growth is the issue of governance. There are some identified governance indicators which include four outcome measures, namely, government effectiveness; regulatory quality; the rule of law; and the control of corruption. These outcomes affect development in numerous ways. In other words, the issue of governance focuses on the extent to which government has incentives to adopt and enforce policies in the interests of all citizens based on the political institutions and dynamics that determine governance.
The DA's 8% growth plan for South Africa identifies a number of flaws in this government's ability to open the economic opportunities to all the people of this country. The failures include inefficient resource allocation, reduced innovation, reduced competition, poor corporate governance and heightened corruption.
There is no doubt that South Africa's economy is divided into two, namely, those who are inside and those who are outside. The DA's growth plan describes the state of our economy as, on the one side, those who have jobs - like you - homes, and the prospect of raising incomes and a better future. On the other side there are those millions of poor South Africans who struggle to participate in the country's economic mainstream.
The greatest challenge facing this country today is the lack of job opportunities for the millions of people who are out of employment, the majority of whom are young people. According to official statistics 24% of the economically active population in this country is out of work.
The DA's growth plan has identified, among others, the following as barriers to accessing employment opportunities by millions of South Africans. Firstly, there are the inflexible work conditions. Secondly, the vested interests such as those of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu, in maintaining the status quo. Thirdly, there are the unmarketable skills as a product of our failing education system. Fourthly, there is the lack of incentives for low-key job creation. Lastly, there is the breakdown of the critical relationship between productivity and pay.
To answer some of these challenges the DA has come up with the following long-term policy proposals to overcome unemployment in South Africa today: Reduction of barriers to entry into the job market by those who are looking for jobs; improved competition and productivity; flexibility in labour markets; improved education outcomes; and matching skills with the demand in the market place.
The DA is aware of the fact that we have to overcome the inequalities that this country inherited from the past. However, a new spirit of commitment to pragmatic economic policies is what is required to overcome the current challenges. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and the members of this august House, this topic will be debated during the 128th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, which will take place on 22 to 27 March in Ecuador. Buen vivir is a Spanish phrase which simply means good living. This good living concept underpins the National Development Plan of Ecuador between 2008 and 2013.
The plan supports the five revolutions of the citizens' revolution. The first one is a constitutional and democratic revolution to lay the foundation of an inclusive and a reflective political community. This first revolution shows that colonialism took place in that area because there were people who were underdeveloped. That is why the constitution and the development plan had to address those disparities. That is why 35% of the indigenous people of Ecuador were not in the mainstream economy of that country; hence the first revolution had to address that. This revolution is actually similar to what is happening in our country, because we know very well that unlike in Ecuador, where only 35% of the indigenous people were excluded from the mainstream economy, in South Africa 80% of the people were excluded. So it means that whatever plan we are going to come up with must be double what Ecuador is doing, because our job is simply too massive to address those disparities. [Applause.]
The second one is an ethical revolution to guarantee transparency, accountability and a system of checks and balances as the pillars on which to build social relations. The mere fact that they took the issue of transparency and accountability seriously, shows that in the past, in that country, many things were swept under the carpet; many people were murdered during the course of the revolution. So it means that if the current government wants to rule properly, it has to be ethical, transparent and have a system of check and balances as its pillars.
That is why, as we move forward as a country, the critical aspect is that, as South Africans, we have done that. We have an independent judiciary, the Public Protector, the independent National Prosecuting Authority and Chapter 9 institutions. These ensure our rights and that, through accountability, government is held in check. That is why, as the delegates will be going to this IPU, they must carry that message: that South Africa has already done that. Actually, South Africa is deepening that, so that democracy and transparency are felt in all corners of the country. [Applause.]
The third revolution, which underpins the Ecuador development plan, is an economic, productive and agrarian revolution to overcome an inherited model of exclusion and direct state resources towards health, road networks, housing, scientific and technological research to promote employment and production in a way which includes both rural and urban areas. What this revolution speaks about also rings a bell of what happened here in South Africa. Do you remember the Bantustan? When you go to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Transkei and Qwaqwa in the Free State, you can see all these disparities there. But what is very critical is that with the plans that we came up with, in particular the NDP, which has been supported by all and sundry in this House, it is the one that is going to underpin integration.
That is why I am surprised that people will come and speak on behalf of Cosatu. There is one thing which the ANC can never do; the ANC can never muzzle Cosatu. If they have a different opinion from what we have, it is their democratic right. Before 1994, when you had a different opinion to the government you were arrested or killed. So how can we do that to the citizens of our own country? [Applause.]
So, if they see that there are loopholes in the NDP, we have to create forums. We have to create forums where we are going to have constructive engagements in order to sharpen and improve together as the nation. Nothing is perfect on this earth. The only thing I know as perfect is what comes from God, Jehovah; but anything that is man-made can never be perfect. So this must be continuously improved; Cosatu must continuously improve this plan. [Applause.]
Fourthly, there is the social revolution to ensure that the state guarantees essential rights of all individuals, communities, peoples and nationalities. When you look into our Bill of Rights in our Constitution, they have gone overboard to do that. So I think as our delegates go to the IPU, they must bring the good news, but also they must take our Constitution with them as proof that as South Africa, when we departed from the dark past of apartheid we created hope through this Constitution so that each citizen is protected.
Lastly, there is the revolution in defence of Latin America's dignity, sovereignty and integration. This one is very important because when you look at colonialism, which took place around South America; when you look at where Spain is, look at where Ecuador and Brazil are, you can see that those people travelled so many kilometres to come and colonise the people in that area but that is why they took this revolution as very important.
We, as the South African Parliament, must ensure that this dignity, sovereignty and integration also happen in Africa. We should start first with the Southern African Development Community, SADC region. We know that during our era of revolution, all the countries which supported the liberation movement suffered the consequences. We know the race which died in Maseru, we know about the South African Defence Force, SADF, when it was in Angola and we know about the bombs in Botswana. They were there. So, what is critical, in the process of doing that, they were able to undermine the economies of those countries. As a country, we cannot grow as an island. We must integrate with our neighbours. That is where we should start. We should start by promoting intra-Africa trade by starting in our own region. We must support each other. As this Parliament, we must ensure that we conduct oversight work, as we are going to do and as the executive of this country has done by promoting the free trade agreement, the tripartite agreement with the three economies of Africa.
We must ensure that as we scrutinise the budgets of the various government departments, they must be speaking to that integration, because without the support of our neighbours, we will never grow, as a country, to the zenith of which we are capable.
These five revolutions tally up neatly with what the ANC described as the character of the national democratic society in its Mangaung conference in 2012. When it described the national democratic society, it said the national democratic society, which is based on the resolution of the past historical injustice and the building of a democracy with the social content, will include the following: Firstly, a political and socioeconomic system, which places the needs of the poor at the top of the national agenda.
Really, if you were to look at what the ANC-led government has done, the budget that was presented this year, 60% of that budget goes to the social wage. It means that it really addresses the needs of those people who were excluded from the economy of this country. That's why, when you go to tertiary institutions, those students who would not have had the opportunity of going to university are able to get full bursaries through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Nsfas, as long as they are able to pass and are able to graduate.
We know that before 1994, for an African child to get a university degree, it was not by design but by accident. So we are happy today, that this government is putting the system in place so that the historically disadvantaged children are by design able to acquire the skills which will help them participate effectively in the economy. [Applause.]
Secondly, it describes a social democratic society which will have the other pillar of accelerated growth and development in a mixed economy, which includes the state and private capital, as well as co-operatives and worker-based forms of social ownership of the means of production. This issue of a mixed economy is very critical. Actually, what hon Ambrosini said today didn't disappoint me, when the first thing he said was: "We are here to speak about ... What did he raise? He raised the issue of the flexibility of the labour market. That is the first thing he spoke about. He also said that we are only emphasising the issue of the achievement of freedom. He can take those things for granted, because he was never on the other side where he had to experience oppression. [Applause.] That is why, with us, we will discuss the issue of freedom on each and every political platform because you can have political freedom, but if you do not have economic freedom, you don't have any freedom. Your freedom is shallow.
That's why the ANC has come with the concept of the mixed economy in order for us not to take the capital as the enemy of the state. The state, together with capital, organised labour and civil society must work together to resolve the problems that are facing this country. We cannot exclude any sector.
That's why I like what Deng Xiaoping, the father of the economic reforms in China, once said. He said: "It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice." [Applause.] [Laughter.] That's why the ANC says we are going to take the capital and labour sectors as our partners in growing this economy, because anyone who goes to bed without food and anyone who does not own a means of production cannot say he or she is free in the land of his own origin. That is why that concept must really be supported and be pushed. [Applause.] But in order to do that... [Time expired.] [Applause]