Hon Deputy Speaker, hon colleagues, comrades, the people of South Africa, before I fully address the Budget as I want to, I think that certainly we would wish the hon Trent good fortune in his future endeavours. However, I do believe that I must try to correct a number of issues that were raised here.
Perhaps one of the first things, just something small, and I am sure the hon Minister would agree, it is certainly not his Budget. I think he wishes he had that amount of money in his personal account! This is, in fact, the country's budget, an ANC government's budget. [Interjections.]
Let me now address the issues that were raised directly by the hon Trent and let us get a few facts clear. Richard Young was a losing bidder who continued to pursue his interests but, yes, he was invited to appear before Scopa. He was invited to give written representations. He chose to make these verbally. Indeed he got court orders and I'll come to that immediately. He, in fact, in the end accepted an out-of-court settlement. Having had that out-of-court settlement in 2005, I find it strangely disturbing that on the eve of the 2009 election, he chooses to validate some of these questionable claims. Credibility in such matters, hon Trent, includes the actions of those who make them - and what on the face of it appear to be unreasonable claims, because certainly, Parliament has not had sight of this.
These are very unreasonable claims he makes, as are the aspersions that are being cast on the honourable Office of the Auditor-General, which is an essential component of our oversight and monitoring. Up to now, this democratic Parliament, institutionalised by our Constitution, in which all political parties had a hand, has never sought to submerge the truth. Not since its inception in 1994! [Interjections.]
If other role-players have done so ...