Order! Thank you. From the Chair I can confirm that an application for an extension of time was indeed received, and it was granted. I just want to place on record that we did receive such a request and that we did grant an extension.
Mnr J P GELDERBLOM (Wes-Kaap): Mnr die Voorsitter, ek wil ook net heel aan die begin s, namens die Wes-Kaap wil ons die amptenare, wat 'n voorlegging aan die staande komitee kom doen het, baie hartlik bedank. Baie van die bekommernisse wat ons gehad het, is tydens sodanige sessie opgeklaar.
Die konstruksiebedryf is en bly vir die inwoners van die Wes-Kaap van kardinale belang. Die rede hiervoor is dat die konstruksiebedryf in die Wes- Kaap 'n belangrike bron van werkskepping vir ons mense is. Die Wes-Kaap ervaar oor die afgelope paar jaar 'n redelike goeie tyd in die konstruksiebedryf. As ons dink dat ons 'n 17%-werkloosheidsyfer het in vergelyking met ander dele van die land waar dit 34% is, is ons redelik dankbaar, alhoewel die situasie nog nie na wense is nie en ons graag verdere groei in die ekonomie sal wil bespeur.
Veral noudat die voorkeurverkrygingsmodel in werking getree het, is dit baie duidelik dat die voorheen benadeelde gedeeltes van ons bevolking reeds baie voordeel trek uit die konstruksiebedryf. Baie belangrik vir die Wes- Kaap is dat die puntestelsel nou s gestruktureer is dat voorheen benadeelde kontrakteurs, en veral vroue, bo en behalwe vir prys alleen, ook addisionele punte kry. Daaroor is ons diep dankbaar.
Dit is interessant, en ek wil dit hier laat boekstaaf, dat in die Provinsie Wes-Kaap se werkedepartement alle kontrakte van onder R2 miljoen nou toegeken word aan sogenaamde regstellende sake-entrepreneurs en voorheen persoonlik-benadeelde individue.
By die eerste tertafellegging van hierdie wetsontwerp was daar sekere vrae. Ons het gewonder of dit nie alweer net wetgewing is wat sentralisties ingestel is nie. Aanvanklik was ons vermoede dat ons hier miskien weer te doen het met sentralisering. Kortom, ons was bekommerd dat dit ook die outonomiteit van die provinsie sou aantas. 'n Verdere bekommernis was dat die nasionale Minister en die te stigte raad ingevolge hierdie wetgewing magte bekom wat hulle toelaat om openbare sektorkontrakte na eie goeddunke goed te keur en toe te ken.
Die positiewe is egter, en dit wil ons aan die Minister oordra, dat wanneer 'n mens tussen die rels lees en deeglik na die wetsontwerp kyk, kom jy agter dat hierdie wetgewing dit ten doel het om die proses te kordineer en die konstruksiebedryf uit te bou en te bevorder. Voorgenoemde is vir ons belangrik, want beproefde ondervinding en finansile vermo is vir ons belangrik vir voornemende klinte. Die Wes-Kaap is van mening dat beproefde ondervinding en finansile vermo baie belangrik en 'n edele doel is.
Wat die raad betref wat ingestel gaan word, is dit vir ons belangrik dat daar geografiese verteenwoordiging moet wees, soos ook vroer hier deur 'n kollega van die DP genoem is. Sodanige byhou van die beoogde register sal ook verseker dat kontrakteurs wat oor bewese ondervinding en finansile vermo beskik op ordelike wyse geregistreer sal word. Die Wes-Kaap steun hierdie wetsontwerp.
Ons is van mening dat hierdie wetgewing tot voordeel van almal in die Wes- Kaapse sal wees, dat dit in 'n groot mate die konstruksiebedryf sal orden en dat dit daarop gemik is om bestaande geleenthede te konsolideer in 'n enkele wet. Sodoende het dit dan ook ten doel om pertinente nasionale standaarde in die bedryf te vestig. Ons is van mening dat die steun wat ons hieraan verleen verder sal lei tot ekonomiese groei en die uitbou van die ordening van hierdie bedryf. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr J P GELDERBLOM (Western Cape): Mr Chairman, I would like, at the very outset, to convey on behalf of the Western Cape a heartfelt word of thanks to the officials who made a presentation to the standing committee. Many of our concerns were resolved during that session.
The construction industry is and remains of cardinal importance to the inhabitants of the Western Cape. The reason for this is that in the Western Cape the construction industry is an important source of job creation for our people. The construction industry in the Western Cape has been having a reasonably good time in the past few years. When we think that we have a 17% unemployment figure in comparison with 34% in other parts of the country we are fairly grateful, although the situation is not as one would wish and we would like to see further growth in the economy.
Especially now that the preferential procurement model has come into operation it is very clear that the previously disadvantaged sections of our population are already benefiting greatly from the construction industry. What is very important to the Western Cape is that the points system has now been structured in such a way that previously disadvantaged contractors, and especially women, also receive additional points over and above price. We are deeply grateful for that.
It is interesting, and I want to put this on record here, that the contracts of less than R2 million of the works department of the Western Cape Province are now allocated to so-called affirmative business entrepreneurs and previously personally disadvantaged individuals.
At the first tabling of this Bill there were certain questions. We wondered whether this was just once again legislation that was centrally motivated. Initially our surmise was that perhaps we were dealing with centralisation. Briefly, we were concerned that it would also affect the autonomy of the province. A further concern was that the national Minister and the proposed council would, in terms of this legislation, acquire powers that would allow them to approve and allocate public sector contracts as they individually see fit.
What is positive, however, and we want to convey this to the Minister, is that when one reads between the lines and takes an in-depth look at the Bill, one realises that the objective of this legislation is to co-ordinate the process and to expand and promote the construction industry. The aforementioned is important to us, because proven experience and financial capability is important to us as far as prospective clients are concerned. The Western Cape is of the view that proven experience and financial capability are very important and noble objectives. Concerning the council that is going to be put into operation, it is important to us that there should be geographical representation, as has been mentioned here earlier by a colleague of the DP. Such updating of the envisaged register will also ensure that contractors who have proven experience and financial capability will be registered in an orderly manner. The Western Cape supports this Bill.
We are of the view that this legislation would be to the benefit of everyone in the Western Cape, that it would order the construction industry to a large degree and that it is aimed at consolidating existing opportunities in a single Act. In so doing it also has as objective to establish pertinent national standards in the industry. We believe that the support we lend to this will lead to further economic growth and the expansion of order in this industry.]