Chairperson, since 2009, we have been hoping that we would reach a point where the Minister would successfully turn the department around and place it on a path to efficiency and effectiveness, but thus far this has proven to be wishful thinking. Instead, the situation in the department has taken a turn for the worst.
For evidence, one has to look no further than the fact that the department has spent 90% of its budget, but only 51% of its targets have been reached. Two questions now come to mind: "Where did the money go? Has it been diverted to President Zuma's Zero Hunger programme?" Minister, the public deserves to know what happened to the rest of the money.
We have received numerous complaints from emerging farmers around the country regarding the department's mechanisation programme. Many of these complaints echo the UDM's sentiments. Some of these tractors are lying and rusting in different yards. The department has no policy regarding the issue of these tractors and we request the department to take this matter seriously this time around.
Monitoring and evaluation of existing projects in the department is very weak, to say the least. For example, every year the department gives money to provinces in order to ensure the success of the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme, CASP, but it does not monitor how these funds have been used and whether they have been used for the intended purposes.
To make things worse, the requests that have been sent by the stakeholders and us have not been answered, because those officials do not have the information.
Mhlekazi, Mama ... [Sir, Madam ...]
... let us be very clear. Here, we transfer money to provinces.
Imali esiyithumela emaphondweni yekarhulumente, asiyiyo imali ye-ANC kwaye ilungiselelwe ukwenza iiprojekthi ezi sithi xa sihambela amaphondo sifike singaziboni. Iya phi le mali? Ingaba yakha amasebe okanye iinkampu ze-ANC? [Uwelewele.] Yimali karhulumente le asiyiyo eyenu, niyithanda ningayithandi loo nto. Zange nifike namali apha. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Ndithi kuni zenzeleni inkqubo nomgaqo-nkqubo we-CASP eziza kuqinisekisa ukuba le mali iyajongwa kuba ihliswa ngemilenze ngaBaphathiswa emaphondweni. Mayiphele le nto yokusetyenziswa gwenxa kwemali karhulumente yi-ANC, Mphathiswa. Le mali asiyiyo imali ye-ANC, yimali yeerhafu zethu niyithanda ningayithandi loo nto maqabane. Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.) [The monies we transfer to provinces belong to government and not the ANC, and they are meant for projects, which we do not see when we visit provinces. Where do these monies go? Are they spent on building ANC branches or camps? [Interjections.] This is government's money and not yours, whether you like it or not. You did not come with money when you came here. [Applause.]
Formulate your own CASP programmes and policies which will ensure that spending is monitored, because provincial government officials are embezzling the monies. The misuse of government monies by the ANC must come to an end, Minister. Government monies do not belong to the ANC; they are part of taxpayers' money, comrades, whether you like it or not. Thank you. [Applause.]]