Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, the IFP is concerned that the Budget for this department will not adequately and fairly achieve; growth of economy and job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, adequate training for skills to be used to alleviate poverty in the long term and the sustained maintenance of existing and growing number of state-owned infrastructure.
The EPWP is a programme that has been rightly criticised in the past for its unfair patronage to ANC supporters, whereby councillors reward only the card-carrying members of the ANC with jobs and skills. This is unconstitutional as all South Africans have the right to equality and non- discrimination on the basis of political belief and association. The IFP calls for a more transparent, fair and non-partisan process to be developed for the recruitment of EPWP Workers.
We want all people of South Africa to be given a chance for their futures through this programme and not only be used as a tool to promote and advance the political agenda of the governing party. In sticking with the EPWP, we also believe that the current programme does not adequately provide the necessary skills that translate into poverty alleviation. To alleviate poverty, the programme must ensure that the skills transfer and training given to people must enable them to practically apply these skills without the dependency of massive corporations and the EPWP itself. In other words, people must be able to practically use these skills to create start-up businesses.
The EPWP workers must, be further skilled in artisan trades, that will equip people to be able to effectively access resources and more importantly human rights through infrastructure they can and have created. Top skilled or talented workers must be actively identified by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and EPWP itself and be given the relevant support by the Department of Small Business Development to fully capacitate start-up businesses. We want to see the success of small start-up businesses and South Africa
that will eventually start to see credible long term job creation and growth of Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Minister, the President has decided to add the responsibility of infrastructure to your department. Therefore, you find yourself in a very strategic position to add to stimulate the economy and reduce the tax burden on citizens by generating your own income for the department through rentals or sale of buildings. When the department has developed new buildings, intended to replace old ones, they must vacate the offices within two months after all permits and safety inspections have been approved.
Furthermore, old sites must be sold or if the state wishes to keep the land, then it must either be re-purposed for land reform such as social housing under the 99 year lease agreements or be placed for up rental for a maximum period of 99 years. In this way, the department will start to generate additional income for itself and reduce the requirement for tax payers to fork out for the maintenance of buildings that are obsolete.
Furthermore it has the potential to start the integration of people into major urban environments. Minister, you often speak about South Africans working together to achieve a prosperous future. The IFP would like to hold you to this and state for the record that we request you to work with the IFP to further develop this model which will ensure success in your department and term of office.
What is more Minister; we must continually engage the private sector to help lead the transformation of infrastructure towards a green and more sustainable future. South Africa is currently burdened with huge expenses in having to provide a more inclusive nation and little focus is paid towards ensuring a sustainable future. A sustainable future will further unlock job opportunities and sectors that South Africa can become specialists in so that we do no trail the development of the world for the next 100 years.
The department has requested R7,8 billion for this year and expects to increase it's Budget in two years by over R1 billion.
We will support this year's Budget on the projected increase and it should be assisted by the methods we mentioned above.
The legacy created for the future starts today and, we want to push the development and economy of South Africa to the next level. The IFP supports this Budget as a sign to show our willingness to work together. I thank you. [Applause.]
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