Thank you, Chairperson. On behalf of the Economic Freedom Fighters, l would like to take this opportunity to pass our condolences to the family of the late Mam'Nomhle Nkonyeni, who passed away early yesterday morning. Mam'Nkonyeni had a distinguished career spanning close to 60 years and inspired generations of South African actors to aspire for more. May her beautiful soul rest in peace and rise in eternal glory!
Minister Pandor, as a distinguished freedom fighter yourself, you need no one to lecture you about the critical role played by the international community, particularly our siblings in the
African continent, in the Caribbean, our comrades in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, in the struggle for the liberation of this country. This history ought to underscore the premise of our international relations policy, which must be underpinned by the experience of the international anti- apartheid movement, which was the largest human rights campaign in the world. Where people all over the world responded to the oppression of the people of this country, and committed themselves to our liberation.
They never needed to come here, but they mobilised themselves and held their governments accountable for the diplomatic and economic ties they had with the murderous apartheid regime. Today these historical lessons, should constantly poke our conscience and international relations approach We must ask ourselves if we have remained true to the values that are underpinned our liberation struggle and if we have not betrayed the hopes of millions who sacrificed their own Tanzania, Nigeria Cuba and Angola.
Today, we live in a global community where imperialism is raising its ugly head again through economic manipulation of less developed countries. The US trade embargo on Cuba, the shameless attempt to remove Nicolus Maduro in Venezuela, the constant undermining of the rights of the people of Haiti to choose their leaders, the deliberate destruction of Iraq and yzhaf the unforgivable assassination of Colonel Gaddafi, the destabilisation of the Congo; all these and more, tell us that the forces of imperialism will never rest until they have sucked the last drops of blood from developing countries.
It is for this reason that we need our international relations approach to be embedded on the principle of Pan-Africanism and progressive internationalism. We must be driven by solidarity with the oppressed and the exploited in the world. We must understand that we will never be completely free until there is democracy and peace in the Congo, until the people of Libya and me Sudan have full control of their natural resources, until the people of Palestine are free from the oppression of apartheid Israel.
Above all Minister, we must be unapologetic about the Pan African nature of our international relations approach. We have unfortunately lost our moral and strategic voice in the continent, and are therefore unable to provide leadership for the regeneration of Africa. As we take over our non- permanent seat at the UN Security Council, we must agitate for tangible reforms of the Security Council, and remove the veto powers of the five permanent members of the Security Council.
The world is far bigger and more complex than the 5 countries which have the power to veto any decisions taken by the UN. To foster Pan African development, we must recommit ourselves to the Abuja Treaty, which will remain the only radical plan for African integration and development, with clear, tangible goals for integrating Africa's development, to ensure that Africa benefits from its wealth and its natural resources, and that there is a deeper entrenchment of freedoms across the continent.
To attain this vision, we must strengthen the Pan African parliament, and give it real and exclusive authority to legislate on the elimination of intra-African trade barriers. We
must applaud the bringing into force of African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to eliminate trade barriers between African countries. We must however emphasize, that the trade and movement of goods within Africa, must be for African produced goods.
This must emphasize the local production and beneficiation of goods in Africa. African mineral resources must be processed in Africa, to create jobs in Africa. In the midst of all this, President Ramaphosa had nothing about the Pan-African development; he did not even mention anything about Africa in his State of the Nation Address.
The continent looks up to South Africa, because of our relatively advanced capitalist economy, even while the economy serves minorities, with the rest of the people languishing in poverty.
In conclusion, we need to work towards the African isolation of Botswana, which has been home to an imperialist military base, and fight for progressive internal reforms within Botswana which
should involve the people of Botswana. Fight for democratic political reforms in eSwatini, including the political and economic isolation of the Monarchy, until there are meaningful political changes and tolerance in the country. Protect Zimbabwe from imperialist threats and sanctions; ensuring that Zimbabwe is self-sustainable, and that the land remains in the hands of Zimbabweans Hon Minister, we reject your budget