Chairperson, Deputy Minister and members of the House, when addressing the nation on the occasion of the opening of Parliament on 8 February 2008, our President Thabo Mbeki called on the nation to rally together and unite in the spirit of ``Business Unusual''. He said, and I quote:
More than at any other time, the situation that confronts our nation and country, and the tasks we have set ourselves, demand that we inspire and organise all our people to act together as one, to do all the things that have to be done, understanding that in a very real sense, all of us, together, hold our own future in our own hands!
It gives me great pleasure today to respond and make an input to the Budget Speech of the hon Minister of Finance, Mr Trevor Manuel, which he delivered in the recent past.
In crafting the Budget that he was to deliver before Parliament, the hon Minister must have been ruminating on the words of the President, and therefore decided to deliver a Budget that will show that we have our own future in our own hands.
The hon Minister has mentioned that our key economic policies are anchored in solid mooring for our economic progress. He has also said that we follow a prudent fiscal stance which may enable us to withstand the turbulence that he foresees in the future. With those words, the Minister delivered a very optimistic but cautious Budget to the nation which is very poor- friendly. In his own words, the hon Minister said, and I quote:
Our sound footing will enable us to grow at a faster pace, and generate the resources to broaden participation and improve the lives of all South Africans progressively and sustainably.
The Budget that has been presented by the hon Minister fully encapsulates the aspirations and ideas of the President of the country, and indeed the wishes of the people of the country. It is precisely the type of economic growth that the hon Minister foresees that will enable the government to achieve its goal of empowering all of our people to rise from the ashes of poverty and unemployment.
When we met as the ANC in Polokwane at the end of 2007, we reaffirmed to ourselves that the noble aim of the NDR, namely fighting poverty, defeating mass unemployment and creating a more equal society, will be achieved through the correct management of the finances of the country, Deputy Minister. Our belief has not been in vain because the hon Minister has improved on the following: There is a significant increase in social expenditure, especially health and education. There are increased allocations in social security, increased support in basic services, and more allocations in support of public works programmes.
But, amid all the euphoria of a Budget that is poor-friendly and amid all the excitement of a Budget that is meeting our expectations as a nation, the hon Minister has warned of turbulent times ahead. He has said so by saying that ``The course ahead will be somewhat tougher.'' It will be during those times that we will need each other for support. Therefore all of us, the employed and the unemployed, the public and the private sector, would need to heed the words of the hon Minister when he says:
During periods of uncertainty, it is important that we keep focused on the things required to raise long-term growth. The circumstances call to each one of us to do more, to act with greater determination and to act together ... Our investments in physical infrastructure, education and skills, research and development, fighting crime and contributing to regional peace are aimed at improving our growth prospects and broadening opportunity, so that when the storm abates, we will grow even faster, with more equitable outcomes.
Our unemployment figures are too high, Deputy Minister. For as long as we do not create jobs, our people will be poor. Poverty is the handmaiden of many ills that can occur in our society. It will therefore undo the many good things that we can achieve with the Budget that the Minister has passed. It is for that reason that at the Polokwane Conference, at the end of 2007, we resolved that answering the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality means that we must simultaneously accelerate economic growth and transform the quality of that growth.
Our most effective weapon in the campaign against poverty is the creation of decent work, and creating work requires faster economic growth. Moreover, the challenges of poverty and inequality require that accelerated growth take place in the context of an effective strategy of redistribution that builds a new and more equitable growth path. On the matter of grants - as Mpumalanga, we are also culprits, because we have discovered that a number of our departments are not using the grants accordingly - as the committee and as the chair of that committee, we are going to make sure that we continue to monitor the departments.
We learnt, when the select committee visited us, that there are a lot of problems even as far as the municipalities are concerned, but their visit assisted us very much, because we now know that those who they have called in have a lot of problems. It shows us that others that have not been called by the select committee have also got a number of problems. That is why I am saying that we are going to make sure, as the committee in Mpumalanga, that we address the problems that are there. We will also make sure that the discretionary funds that are there are accounted for.
We appreciate that the monies allocated to the province will also be able to assist us because, as Mpumalanga, we are focusing on five major projects for the following years: the Maputo Developmemt Corridor, the Moloto Development Corridor, the Water for All Programme, and the Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism initiatives. The rest of the money that is being allocated to us is going to assist us in making sure that we take these projects forward.
We believe that we are also going to be able to address issues raised by our people during our public hearings because people - like those from Limpopo - have complained about the inequitable allocation of grants that we are getting, because we were able to understand, as Mpumalanga, why we are getting fewer grants, which is because we don't have the other specialising hospitals. However, we still have to report that people are feeling that the money is too little, Deputy Minister.
They are also feeling that the slow process of land restitution is impacting greatly on a number of people in a number of districts in our province, because the white people are now starting to do whatever they want about our people. So we are saying, if the process can be fast-tracked so that our people can get the better life that we are talking about, it would be very much appreciated.
We also appreciate the allocation for 2010 because we have started, in my province, with the fan parks. We are getting people ready for 2010. We take them now and then to the stadiums to make sure that they support the teams that are there.
Awu, komasipala bakithi, sithembisile-ke ukuthi sizokwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi kuyalunga. [Municipalities are not doing well, but we have promised to ensure that things get better.]
Chairperson, let me thank you for the time that you have given me. Thank you very much. [Applause.]