... a definition which will have a massive material impact on the way the Budget is prepared and divided, and yet, even respected civil society groups such as the Black Sash, who work in poor communities across South Africa, have not adequately been consulted. We renew our call for the Budget to be demystified. The Treasury cannot reply to the comments of the committee or the provincial delegations with simple one-line responses, which tend to state things as a matter of fact, not as a matter of deeper debate.
Finally, although not directly related to the division of revenue, we note the support given by the National Treasury to the process of housing accreditation to competent municipalities. The multiparty government in the Cape Town Metro has proven that they are amply capable of delivering high- quality housing in quantity, yet their application for accreditation has not been responded to by the provincial department. Again, it is the poor who suffer when the government drags its feet.
I agree with hon Sogoni that clause 39(3) of the Bill is not adequate, as the Treasury argues, in ensuring that those municipalities which have demonstrated the ability to deliver housing are able to do so. We therefore support the Treasury's call for the Department of Housing to provide us with a detailed timeline of when competent municipalities will be accredited.
In conclusion, it was Thomas Jefferson who once wrote ... The DA supports the Division of Revenue Bill. [Applause.]