Deputy Speaker and members, the division of revenue is the first step in the service delivery process. Logic dictates that a large proportion of the revenue should be channelled towards the provinces and municipalities. While these two tiers of government have constitutional service delivery mandates, they have proven to be both wasteful and ineffective over the years, especially the provincial government system.
Provinces, by virtue of their proximity to the people, are supposed to be closely attuned to the service delivery needs of the people. Unfortunately, with the exception of one or two well-run provinces, the opposite is true. Since the inception of our democracy, we have witnessed a distinct inability among provincial and municipal administrations to manage this revenue and deliver services.
The problem here stems from a severe lack of skills, coupled with an institutional culture that celebrates ineptitude. However, we are encouraged by the Finance Minister's announcements that in order to fight irregular expenditure and tender fraud, government will intensify its efforts to monitor expenditure at provincial and local spheres of government. We demand value for money!
One of the key reasons why the division of revenue does not produce the intended results is the failure to consider the limited revenue-raising potential and capacity of rural municipalities when allocations are made. The majority of rural municipalities operate on a shoestring budget. This situation needs to be changed as it is responsible for the deterioration in the quality of life of rural people.
The UDM believes that if government is serious about improving both the speed and quality of service delivery and, if it wants to "do more with less", as the Minister of Finance has said on numerous occasions, it has to do away with its cadre deployment policy, in terms of which political affiliation rather than merit remains the fundamental basis upon which people are appointed to positions of power. The deficit in competent and qualified people besetting all spheres of government can be attributed to nothing else than the cadre deployment policy. These are the people the country needs ...
The UDM supports the Bill. [Time expired.]