Speaker, over the past six weeks the DA has campaigned across South Africa to put the stories of the millions of South Africans who are unemployed onto the national agenda and to talk about our plan to grow the economy and create jobs. Yesterday the leadership of the DA gathered at the Union Buildings, together with 423 young unemployed South Africans, each of whom represented another 1 000 young South Africans who would have benefited from the youth wage subsidy - 423 000 in total. The young people present yesterday were carrying posters with the faces of the unemployed on them.
The President may find it easy to say no to statistics, but I hope he will find it more difficult to say no to the faces of the people he is failing. The President can be moved to action or he can continue to put his own job security above the interests of unemployed South Africans. The choice is his. [Applause.]