Agb Voorsitter, in die afwesigheid van die Minister, kan die DA nie Begrotingspos 30 goedkeur nie omdat die Departement vir Openbare Ondernemings nie omsigtig met die belastinggeld omgaan nie en dit swak bestuur. Die department wend toegewese geld ook nie optimaal aan nie en begroot onverskillig om aan openbare behoeftes te voldoen.
Die department bestee te veel op senior aangestelde personeel teen ho salarisse. Vir elke twee junior poste word 'n senior pos geskep van direkteursvlak af en hor. Tog bestee die department R34 miljoen aan konsultante om sy werk vir hom te doen. Die department spog met vier adjunk- direkteurs-generaal uit 'n totale personeel van net 138.
Die department het R280 miljoen van verlede jaar se begroting nie bestee nie en het vir die huidige boekjaar R1,3 miljard te min begroot as gevolg van swak besigheidsplanne wat aan die Tesourie voorgel is vir die ontwikkeling van die korrelbed- modulre kernreaktor; juis noudat Suid- Afrika meer elektrisiteit benodig.
Die doel van die department is om met behulp van openbare ondernemings die ekonomie te help ontwikkel, mededinging te bevorder en dividende op belastinggeld terug te ploeg tot die Staatskas, maar in praktyk misluk die department en word die teenoorgestelde bereik.
Openbare ondernemings absorbeer 72% van die department se begroting. Ten spyte daarvan skop die SA Lugdiens, met sy 11 direkteure wat gesamentlik 136 direkteurskappe beklee, die boekjaar af met 'n verlies van R1,3 miljard, terwyl Denel met sy 13 direkteure, wat gesamentlik op 111 direksies dien, sukkel om finansieel te oorleef en vanjaar vir die soveelste keer byna R1 miljard uit die Staatskas ontvang vir oorlewing.
Gegewe ook Eskom, wat sukkel met swak onderhoud- en kapasiteitsprobleme, asook Transnet, wat nie voldoende in die vervoerbehoeftes van Suid-Afrika kan voorsien nie, asook Alexkor, wat teen 'n verlies funksioneer, kan die DA nie hierdie Begrotingspos goedkeur nie. Omdat die departement ook nie aan sy missie voldoen nie, vra die DA dat sy teenstem geboekstaaf word. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans declaration of vote follows.)
[Dr S M VAN DYK: Hon Chairperson, in the absence of the Minister the DA is unable to approve Budget Vote 30, because the Department of Public Enterprises does not handle taxpayers' money judiciously, but mismanages it. Furthermore, the department does not use allotted funds optimally and is careless in budgeting for public needs.
The department spends too much money on senior staff appointed at high salaries. For every two junior posts, a senior post is established at director's level or higher. Yet the department spends R34 million on consultants to do its work. The department boasts four deputy directors- general out of a total staff component of just 138.
The department failed to spend R280 million of last year's budget, and it underbudgeted by R1,3 billion for the current financial year, on account of the poor quality of business plans submitted to the Treasury for the development of the pebble-bed modular nuclear reactor; this at a time when South Africa needs more electricity.
The department's objective is to develop the economy with the aid of public enterprises, to promote competition, and to channel dividends on taxpayers' money back to the Treasury, but in practice it is failing to achieve this objective and is doing the opposite.
Public enterprises absorb 72% of the department's budget. Despite this SAA, with its 11 directors who together hold 136 directorships, started the financial year with a loss of R1,3 billion, while Denel, with its 13 directors who together serve on a total of 111 boards, is struggling to survive financially and this year, for the umpteenth time, is receiving almost R1 billion from the Treasury to ensure its survival.
Given that Eskom is also struggling with problems relating to poor maintenance and capacity, while Transnet cannot meet South Africa's transport needs adequately, and Alexkor is also operating at a loss, the DA cannot approve this Budget Vote. Since the department is also failing to carry out its mission, the DA requests that its objection be recorded. Thank you.]