Madam Speaker, the critical issue here is that when we received the report as the Department of Trade and Industry, or upon receipt of the report by the consultant, it became quite evident to us that there is still further work that needs to be done in order to fully respond to the issues around coming up with a scheme that is in line with our international obligations; coming up with a scheme that will respond to the new objectives that we have set for the motor industry. It is this work that we have set out to undertake and achieve over the next period.
There is really no other reason, except the fact that we've had to undertake further work that will ensure that we can respond to the critical issues. We need a scheme that is World Trade Organisation compliant because it is not quite comfortable as a country to always be facing a risk of being challenged at the World Trade Organisation, as happened with the leather aspect of the Motor Industry Development Programme. So, we've had to pay very close attention to that issue of a scheme that will be confident, that we can implement without fear of being taken to the WTO.
I think the report enabled us to immediately achieve the necessary alignment of all the different instruments that are part of the MIDP to achieve harmonisation between now and the end of the life of the MIDP as it currently stands, whilst the work around a new scheme needs a little bit more time.
Let me say that last week we had a very good meeting with all of the CEOs of the original equipment manufacturers. It was a very good meeting that enabled us to identify the critical issues, to talk about the timelines and to look at the things that would enable them as the local operators to give confidence to their capitals around the work that is being undertaken in South Africa. We will be issuing a joint statement arising out of that meeting. I think the atmosphere and the environment between the department and the CEOs of the automotive companies are healthy.