Chair, the question is, what would the DA do if we were passing this Division of Revenue Bill? I'll tell you what we would do.
We would streamline government by shutting down and integrating certain government departments and programmes, reducing the budget for the Presidency, and disband the National Youth Development Agency. By so doing, we would save more than R10 billion.
We would stop corrupt public servants from doing business with the state and would introduce a no-frills ministerial handbook - that's R13 billion.
We would introduce real cost-saving measures like we have done in the Western Cape government, where we reduced ANC spending in the provincial government on catering by 28%, on venues by 29%, on consultants by 38% and on advertising by 52%.
If this whole government operated like the DA does in government, we would save R5,8 billion on those noncore expenditure items. That is how the DA would afford to implement our policies. It would be the radical change that South Africa needs to create jobs and grow the economy. It would be the opposite of this conservative Budget that we have before us today.
If this is really Minister Gordhan's last term as Finance Minister, then I need to end by thanking him for his openness in working with Parliament and his respect for our oversight role here. Our debates, I am sure you will all agree, have been robust, but were focused on policy, as they should be. Although we disagree on how to fix South Africa's economic problems, I know that National Treasury and the finance family is dedicated to the Constitution and has the best interests of South Africans at heart.
This Minister is a man of integrity who lives by the standard that he sets. If he leaves, he will leave big shoes to fill. I thank you. [Applause.]