Hon Chairperson, Minister of Transport, Ministers, Deputy Ministers present, chairperson of the portfolio committee, hon Zwane, hon members, ladies and gentlemen in the gallery and colleagues under the leadership of the acting Director-General of the Department of Transport good afternoon, I would fail in my duty if I would not say to hon Mabhena, you have disappointed me. [Laughter.] You really have disappointed me. Honestly, you did, but we will have a cup of coffee about that.
At the beginning of the term of this Sixth Parliament, we gathered in this House to listen to His Excellency, the
President of the Republic, not only lay bare the challenges we face as a people and as a nation, but also challenged all of us to join him and this ANC government in resolving the challenges that lie ahead of us that seem insurmountable. This he did in highlighting the seven priority areas which we have all heard. I will not repeat. However, hon Mabhena, what is interesting is that somebody sitting on my left said what was a dream has become a nightmare. Indeed, it is a nightmare that we are highlighting. The potholes in Johannesburg and Tshwane have never been seen before under the DA government. [Interjections.] The A Re Yeng and Rea Vaya in Johannesburg and Tshwane were implemented by the ANC government. So, do not claim very small victories here.
In giving us the marching orders the President had this to say and I quote:
All our programmes and policies across all departments and agencies will be directed in pursuit of these overarching tasks that we believe will be able to deliver a better life for all South Africans.
Hallelujah! Amen! [Laughter.] Hon Chair, it is with this backdrop that we proudly stand here as the ANC, having been mandated at the ballot boxes by the electorate to take this battle together with hon Minister Mbalula and approve this Budget Vote presented here and enjoins ourselves to the clarion call and enlist the transport family to the Thuma Mina brigade.
Hon Mey, I am very disappointed. I expected you to give us some practical policing with your experience on how to stop crime on the trains. We were looking forward to your knowledge as a policeman, proudly so and we still look forward in the portfolio committee. Hallelujah! [Laughter.] Hon Swarts, the accident you saw when you were coming, it's a daily lived experience of black people who were pushed into the periphery of economic activities by mainly people on my left. [Interjections.] Hallelujah!
We are forever grateful to our forebears who envisioned the South Africa we all aspire to live in, the Constitution also aptly defines what the characteristic occupation of governing institutions should be when enjoining us to and I quote:
Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.
Hon Chair, our efforts supported by the programs of the Department of Transport led by the capable Minister of Transport are aimed at accelerating our efforts to transform the stubborn apartheid character of our road networks and maritime industry amongst others which were from the left side in the main.
One of the key objectives of the comprehensive maritime transport policy is to develop South Africa to be an International Maritime centre in Africa serving its maritime transport customers in particular and world trade in general. To promote the growth and broadened participation of local entrepreneurs in the shipping industry and marine manufacturing and related services while vigorously through incentives and continuous improvement in ship registration, promote the increase of ships under the South African flag registry. Hon Chair, we welcome the department's plan to conclude a Southern
African Development Community, SADC, shipping agreement to promote regionally co-ordinated coastal shipping. [Interjections.]
UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER: [Inaudible.]