Chairperson and hon members, when I heard there was a debate on poverty alleviation I went out of my way to see poverty-stricken areas to find out what was being done. On speaking to the people, I found that they were not impressed and said the better life for all was a dream and poverty was just getting worse.
Every Ministry must take responsibility for the lack of alleviation of poverty - the Department of Home Affairs for not supplying ID books timeously so people can apply for jobs and grants, and the Department of Labour for not levelling the playing fields and encouraging job creation. The Minister would do well not to make job creators his enemies, but his attention should rather be focused on the ineffective Setas, which cost a lot and are not up to expectation.
Winning the bid for the 2010 World Soccer Tournament was welcomed by all as a means to poverty alleviation, but the statement by the chairperson of the organising committee, Franz Beckenbauer, that organisers are working against one another rather than with one another should be taken note of. It is time the relevant role-players changed their mindset of, "What is in it for me?" to rather, "What is in it for South Africa?"
The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs must start reviewing her strategy. I was personally involved in two projects in the Groblersdal area.
The Hereford irrigation farmers, who successfully restored an irrigation scheme about eight years ago, are keen farmers. The promises by the then hon Minister Hanekom on a visit some six years ago never led to them getting security of tenure, as he had promised. They are about to lose a R7 million project because they have no collateral.
The Sedi Trust, on the other hand, was given a very successful farming project five years ago. This farm is now fallow and has not produced anything for two and a half years. They have security of tenure, but no knowledge of farming, and seemingly no interest. They prefer to let the buildings as an easy, but minimal source of income.
The Minister for Provincial and Local Government should look at ineffective municipalities. There are many jobs to be done, but without capable people to organise and plan there will be no delivery and no jobs. We do a lot of talking about equal rights. There are no equal rights when everything depends on who you know and not what you know.
We can only hope that with the Deputy President behind Asgisa, there will be some alleviation of poverty. South Africa cannot afford any more experiments and we cannot afford to let projects such as 2010 slip through our fingers. Social engineering has not worked anywhere in the world and I don't think it has a chance of working here. I thank you. [Applause.]