Hon Chairperson, I had hoped that the Minister would bring along his Aloe Ferox plant today to this sitting. In fact, I would go as far as to suggest that it finds a permanent home in this House, just below the podium of the Speaker. My suggestion is made in good faith and in the spirit of consistency and continuity. It
must serve as a reminder to all hon members in this House that the collective task at hand is to ensure that we hold government to account act and compel it to decisively to recover our economy.
Much like the medicinal properties of the Aloe Ferox plant, medicine can only work when the body it serves changes unhealthy habits and focuses on strengthening the immune system.
I believe, in this instance, that Treasury and the Department of Finance is our government's immune system. By remaining committed to the plan and strategy - which is to be steadfast in its determination, to act decisively, to improve co-ordination, to uphold the rule of law and to stay consistent in implementing the recommendations on the fiscal framework and revenue proposals - only then will we be able to navigate through this growth drought.
If our immune system and structures are fully geared towards implementation, this is what we can achieve, hon Minister. Firstly, we can achieve a reduction of the
public sector wage bill. Secondly, we can see through the successful sale of government assets. Thirdly, we can restructure and not just recycle the rot within our state-owned entities. Finally, we can successfully manage to reduce our debt-to-GDP ratio.
It is therefore unfortunate that, at times, the department has ignored recommendations, forecasts and advice from various stakeholders. Let us not close our ears because our eyes don't agree with what we are reading.
Furthermore, much has been said in this House about the reduction of the ballooning public sector wage bill. However, government must also be prepared to absorb the adverse effects that zero increases will have on morale within the public sector. The poorest and most vulnerable of our people will once again have to experience a lack of service delivery as most frontline services will be affected.
Hon Minister, we must always be mindful that the actions we take on a macro level has effects which trickles down
and hurts the masses of our people who are poorest and this must be avoided. The IFP supports this report because we believe that our country and our economy has reached a point whereby the solutions that have been written, adopted and widely accepted by all, must now - I repeat - must now be implemented. The time has come ...
IsiZulu:
... lakhona wonke lamankentshane akhinyabeza umbuso wethu, nakhwabanisayo, kufanele ukuba sibhekane nawo. Isikhathi sokuqhaqhazela siphelile, injobo ayilingane umntsintsila. Ngiyabonga.