Hon Chairperson, colleagues, comrades and fellow South Africans, decent work is what we all ask for - each one of us sitting in here in this House. I believe and I know that there is no one sitting in these benches who would oppose the principle of decent work for themselves or their families, so surely neither will other South Africans.
The commitment to the provision of decent work is not simply a new ANC slogan, but it can be traced to the Freedom Charter, which embraces the power of sharing. It is within this environment that the ANC government has over the years and over the decades created the conditions in which a developmental state can be built - the kind of state that recognises that people are its greatest and most essential asset, which is why we do not simply talk, of but are committed to, bringing about people-centred solutions. Some of these include a clear focus on rural poverty and will be and are addressed through the ANC programme for land and agrarian reform, food security and rural development.
In this regard, the ANC 2009 election manifesto speaks to the need to ensure the implementation of special-sector programmes embracing industrial trade and other measures backed by adequate resources. And we should remember that adequate resources are not simply finance or money, but people, finance and equipment, among other issues; this also includes manufacturing, mining and other vulnerable sectors.
The ultimate aim, however, of all of these special programmes is to ensure that jobs are not simply created but that they are saved and retained. This whole tradition of getting rid of people at the drop of a hat, of casualisation, has to stop for all our benefit if we are going to develop and grow the economy.
Part of building local industries is to ensure that the primary sectors go beyond simply producing goods for export markets without value being added. So at the centre of this is and will be downstream industries for beneficiation to include and expand a broader participation in the economy.
That is why the ANC argues for a comprehensive package of measures to be introduced to promote these programmes, thus ensuring that the natural wealth of this country is shared, and developed locally. The spin-off from this will be the creation of decent work opportunities in both the manufacturing and services sectors.
As we build viable local industries, we know that there is also a need to widen the scope of enterprising by also investing in enterprises such as co- operatives. It is in this regard that we recommitted ourselves in the 2009 election manifesto to engaging the private sector for the purpose of facilitating the transformation and also diversification, including the development of the co-operative financial institutions, as well as ensuring that the sector contributes to investment and developmental priorities of the country.
Indeed, we will fight unemployment and create decent work. As they say in isiZulu, and mine is not very good, "Sizozama ngakho konke ukudala amathuba omsebenzi". [We will try by all means to create job opportunities.]
We want to build nurturing sectors that can protect jobs and that have potential to create labour-intensive jobs. This concept of labour-intensive jobs has a very high multiplier effect on the eradication of poverty. And for the ANC and all those who believe in decent work, it is the nerve centre of a national democratic society, as indeed envisioned by the ANC.
The ANC argues that the national democratic society should be founded on a thriving economy, the structure of which should not only reflect the natural endowments of the country but also the creativity of a skilled population.
What is the private sector doing in this regard? It is right for you. Your approach is to say, "Government, government". However, nobody builds anything alone, except an artist. The kind of economy we are building is one that grows along labour-absorbing lines on the one hand, and on the other hand, cutting-edge technology; industrial development; thriving small business alongside co-operative sectors; the utilisation of information communication technologies; and efficient forms of production and management - all to combine to ensure national prosperity.
I wish to add that we believe that it is critical for us to ensure - and we will ensure - the protection and building of key industries with the potential to eradicate poverty. But eradicating poverty, we must all remember, lies at the very heart of social cohesion and maintaining stability, and in this regard the state will make decisive interventions such as the implementation of the integrated antipoverty programme geared towards not only social assistance but also the sustainable integration of communities into economic activity.
In addition, some of you may have a lot greater respect for the economist Joseph Stiglitz, who only recently reiterated in response to the economic crisis that our response as responsible members of our country should be based on social justice and solidarity, and one that goes beyond national boundaries. He stressed the need to reflect on the role of financial markets in the economy and said that they should be evaluated on how they serve citizens and they should not be an end in themselves.
This ANC government, and the next one coming in this year, is not, and will not be prepared to allow economic growth to be fuelled by unbridled greed and a new breed of predators. Instead we will ensure employment creation by state-led developmental institutions and we will provide decent work opportunities for all because working together, we can do more. Indeed we can. Viva South Africa! Viva! [Applause.]