Deputy Speaker, year after year, and of late, merely months pass us by before we rise to this podium to essentially sign off yet another Special Appropriation to yet another one of government's crumbling state-owned entities, SOEs. Where do we begin to draw the line when it comes to redirecting billions of rands which can be better used improving the lives of millions of our people who are subject to dire poverty?
When do we say to Board Members of all SOEs that clearly they have failed to root out mismanagement, corruption, maladministration and that they have dismally failed to ensure that things are turning around? Do we have to be
constantly held at ransom by our own SOEs who have become too big to fail? Do we really need to suffer the consequences when markets tremble, our currency falls, investors write ever longer reports and rating agencies threatens us with credit downgrades before any real action and real political will kicks in to do what is right for all South Africans?
Hon Deputy Speaker, we are fast becoming an economy which works on bailout simply to stimulate growth and clearly, in this pace, another R59 billion to keep the lights on. It's a billion here, a couple of millions there, another few billions over there. To many, watching this House at home, it certainly does not seem like we are short of cash, when some ask and get, and others ask but are told there is no more money.
Many hear the unquestionable no, there is not enough money. The ones who get to hear this more often are critical institutions and are the people doing the best they can with the bare minimum. Our NGOs, schools, hospitals, water infrastructure and the basics we require
in rural and urban nodes in our country have to suffer and wait to apply for funding.
Yet, it seems Eskom flips the switch and we are in a frenzy load shedding, rolling blackouts and havoc. Yes, we know that Eskom's success is directly linked to our economy's recovery, and yes, we are well aware of the challenges, but the IFP has time and time again warned that Eskom and many other SOEs face nonfinancial problems.
Therefore, problems are rooted in mismanagement, theft and rooted in ensuring that the state-owned entities continue to receive bailouts which will never satisfy their colossal appetite. Hon Deputy Speaker, it is in the best interest of all South Africans to keep our lights on and saving our economy from collapse. It is for this reason that the IFP supports this appropriation, because we are doomed if we do and we are doomed if we don't. Thank you very much. [Applause.]