Chairperson, Ipap2 stands for Industrial Policy Action Plan 2, which clearly means that there was another one before - Ipap1. Ipap2 is addressing the challenges we experienced in Ipap1.
Any government worldwide is not about the creation of jobs, but is about creating a conducive environment through policies and legislation that would enable the economy of the country to grow so that private companies are able to create massive numbers of jobs for the people.
During our public hearings as the committee, we were able to listen to and interrogate a number of sectors on how they plan to come to the party in as far as Ipap2 is concerned. They really raised some of the challenges they have. Some of the challenges were as follows: the exchange rate overvaluation and volatility; failure to adequately leverage public procurement; monopolistic pricing of key inputs; unreliable, aged rail and post systems; low skills base to support industries; and low productivity.
For this industrialisation plan to work, we need companies like ArcelorMittal South Africa and Kumba Iron Ore to be committed and do so as the nation expects them to do, and not as they wish. It seems that because they are connected in a high office, there's a free-for-all. Recent reports about ICT getting mineral rights and immediately selling them back to ArcelorMittal constitute proof that only the connected few so-called BEE companies can get the deals.
This government has demonstrated during the World Cup that it has the ability of focus on being timeous and delivering on schedule. It must show that same commitment in arresting the country's industrial decline. Everyone agrees that labour-intensive industries are the best to assist this country. But that should be put together with what we plan to do as a country in terms of increasing growth. This must not be for personal gain, but for the country as a whole.
We need to look at the clothing industry that has declined at this point in time, especially in the Western Cape. Programmes like the Motor Industry Development Programme, MIDP, that have worked for automobile industries, also need to be looked at.
At the present moment, the country is experiencing a serious political strike. I call this a political strike because many teachers and health workers are complaining that they want to go to work, but Cosatu is threatening them that they shouldn't. How can Ipap work if Cosatu, which is part of the tripartite alliance, is the instigator? In this case, government has come to the party by addressing the workers' needs. But Cosatu is not prepared to come to the party because this is not an industrial strike but a political strike.
I think the ANC, within its ranks, should look into sorting this matter out because for Ipap to work and for us as a country to create more jobs, we also need to move. It is very important for the country to look at these things because it is of no use for us to create Ipap when Cosatu is not party to that and when it is creating its own fights within the industry, not about jobs, but about positions they want in the ANC. In this case, they should really be part of the tripartite alliance and not part of another party because they are a part of creating those jobs. [Applause.]
This Ipap is not going to work if Cosatu continues to instigate people who really want to work. Many teachers fear going to work because they are being assaulted. It is not about the fact that they are a part of this. The ANC should bring the tripartite alliance to the party so that we can deliver to the people of this country and make sure that jobs are created. It is only on that basis that we are able to create jobs and not divide this country. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]