Chairperson, I like this kind of question. I would answer by saying that the economic crisis is not only faced by us in South Africa. It is a crisis that started in America. That is the reason why the G20 countries said America has to recover first, so that all of us can also recover, because they are the big economic market.
For example, when we look at the motor industry, as soon as people in America stopped buying new cars, it hurt us very badly because Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz in the Eastern Cape were building cars that were sold in America, so when they no longer needed them, people had to be retrenched.
Our platinum mines also benefit from the market when cars manufactured. This thing also made its way to the mines where thousands of people were retrenched. That is the crisis we are in and it is going to be like this for up to two years. We will get out of this jungle by 2013. That is when we will get out of the economic crisis.]
Particulars regarding keeping of data in respect of total number of persons benefiting from indigent policy
3. Ms N D Ntwanambi (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether during the past five years the Government undertook a national audit or currently keeps data in respect of the total number of persons benefiting from the indigent policy; if so, how many persons benefit from this policy in each province;
(2) whether the statistics are sufficiently in line with the Government's commitment to protect and cater for the most vulnerable in our communities such as the poor, child-headed households and pensioners; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,
(3) whether there are any plans to keep such information to determine the effectiveness of the indigent policy; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details? CO31E