Hon Chairman, firstly, thank you very much, hon Minister, for the good news on the imminent return of Prof Karabus. Thank you to you and your Deputy Ministers, as well as the department, for a job well done in that regard.
When we speak about bricks, we always think of something solid, and we just hope that this partnership of Brics - the countries - is built on a very solid foundation, not like the foundations some of the houses are built on - the kind of bricks the housing department has used. Having said that, Minister, we just want to congratulate you for the role you are playing in leading the summit. I think it is great that South Africa, and Durban in particular, being a Durban boy myself - a Durban tsotsi - is going to be the host. It is good for the economy of Durban and KwaZulu-Natal.
When I read some parts of last year's Delhi Declaration, I read that there is a desire to strengthen partnership for common development and take co- operation forward on a basis of openness, solidarity, mutual understanding and trust. I do hope that these elements permeate in the discussions you have. In my view, Brics is not only about trade and economy; it is also about people. Approximately 43% of the world's population reside in these countries, and although I note South Africa's GDP is only 2,5% of the GDP of all the countries put together, it is important that the people on the ground appreciate what Brics is all about. People on the ground have particular problems, such as unfair competition in the labour sector. An hon colleague spoke about the textile sector, and we know how many people have been put out of jobs. Right here in Cape Town, at the moment, there is a big trade fair. The Indians are here for big trade fair. This impacts on our textile industry here in South Africa.
Then you have the reported human rights abuses in China. Now, we know that South Africa's Constitution is based on sound principles of human rights. I trust that these fora that you participate in, and we know that South Africa can be a very strong participant, discuss issues like these where ordinary people feel that Brics is not only about somebody getting rich with some entrepreneur in India, China or Brazil, but that it is about how we, as ordinary people, can benefit.
When one comes to the bank, I think it is a good idea that this development bank be set up. Once again, I think that Brics needs to use its influence on the way the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and other development institutions operate. Our influence must be felt so strongly there that they appreciate that there are developing countries, that there is poverty in developing countries, and that they have to give back what they took away from Africa and the rest of the world during the era of colonisation. That is something, I think, we also need to focus on.
On the whole question of SADC and the rest of Africa, I don't think that South Africa must be seen, as some countries in Africa see us, as a cabal - a cabal operating within Brics and trying to do things for ourselves. We must always be wary that other countries in Africa, like Nigeria, are becoming powerhouses, and we do not want to see our role in Brics being usurped by countries like Nigeria. This means that we need to really focus on the development of our economy and growth.
When it comes to banks, I think best practice can suggest to the Brics countries, except for South Africa, that South Africa has the best banking system in the world. Similarly, we might find some of the other countries in the Brics group have best practices that we can emulate. I think this whole forum should not only be about how we can learn from them, but also how we can teach them. At the end of the day, how do the 50 million ordinary people in South Africa benefit from this arrangement that we have in terms of Brics? Thank you very much, and I wish you well for the conference. [Applause.]