Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, Chairperson of our Standing Committee on Finance, hon members, a lot has been covered in my speech because we know, unanimously, that this is a very important debate, not only for us as members in the House, but for the country at large.
I want to remind this House that primarily, an increase in demand for data arises from the commitment of the ANC government to evidence-based policy- making. The establishment of the Ministries in the Office of the President, both for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation and for National Planning, signals the emphasis of the government to develop policies and programmes that are rooted in measuring the development outcomes and hence provide data and information that will be the foundation of knowledge.
The central objective and the mission of the ANC government's development agenda, outlined in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, 2009-14 is to set the country on a higher and sustainable trajectory of economic growth by the end of the mandate period of the current government in 2014. This is to be accompanied by an expanded and more diversified economic base with unemployment, poverty and income inequality being reduced.
Ngaphambi kokuthi kube khona konke okunye, uKhongolose wakubeka obala ukuthi imisebenzi kanye nezemfundo kumele kube sezingeni eliphezulu. Lezi yizinto uhulumeni kaKhongolose abambelele kakhulu kuzo, ikakhulukazi uma ubheka uhlelo lwakhe lwe-medium-term strategic framework, MTSF.
Uma izwe lithuthuka kubalulekile ukuthi abantu babe namalungelo okunikezwa ulwazi ukuze bazi ukuthi kwenzekani ezweni abakhe kulo. Abantu mabanikwe nezinqubomgomo ukuze bakwazi ukuthatha izinqumo ezibafanele uma befuna usungula amabhizinisi nalapho befuna ukubona ukuthi ababhizinisi abo anenqubekela phambili noma abuyela emuva. Konke lokhu kusukela emigomeni nezinqubomgomo zikaKhongolose. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Before doing anything else, the ANC made it clear that education and creating employment opportunities would be given priority. These are issues that the ANC government regards as very important, especially when considering its programme of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF.
In a developing country, citizens must be given the right to access information to keep them informed about what is happening in their country. They should be provided with policies to enable them to make sound decisions when they want to start their own businesses and to assess if they are doing well or not. All of this is based on the processes and policies of the ANC.]
South Africa has since 1994 gradually ascended into a global international political economy and has become an influential player in many forums. This ascendancy happens in times that are characterised by disorder, upheaval and constant change. These characteristics have challenged statistical agencies, especially in developing countries, not only to place high on the agenda the provision of statistical information, but also to share an understanding and knowledge of socioeconomic phenomena.
Asikusho nje ukuthi le miphumela kazwelonke yonyaka wezi-2011 isisize kakhulu ekuthini zonke izakhamuzi zaseNingizimu Afrika zibe nolwazi ngezemisebenzi ngisho nasemazingeni aphansi, ikakhulukazi uma sikhuluma ngamawadi, kohulumeni basekhaya. Lokhu kubonakala ngokuthi sibe yingxenye yamazwe amakhulu, lapho sifike sixhumane, sidingide, siphinde sibe nethonya siphinde sinxenxe ukwesekwa khona. Ngikhuluma namazwe afana nawe-SADC, AU, Brics, G-20 kanye ne-WTO.
Uma ingekho imiphumela efana nale, kuye kube nzima ukuthi izwe likwazi ukuxoxisana namanye amazwe afana nalo. Ngakho-ke siyayibonga le miphumela siyacela futhi ukuthi siyihloniphe ngaso sonke isikhathi. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[The national statistical results of 2011 played an important role in informing the citizens of South Africa about employment opportunities even at lower levels, especially at ward levels in local government. The results indicate that we are one of the most powerful countries in the world. We communicate, discuss issues and generally have an influence in international forums. We also negotiate with these countries to offer us some support. Among them are those in the SADC, the AU, Brics and the WTO.
When we do not obtain the results like the ones we received, it becomes difficult for a country to negotiate with others that are at its level. Therefore, we are grateful for these results and we urge everyone to hold them in high regard at all times.] Statistics are essential for economic planning, for good governance, for formulating, monitoring and evaluating policies and for decision-making, as I have mentioned above. The demand for statistical data is increasing as policy-makers, civil society, business and citizens increasingly use statistics in strengthening the state's capacity to deliver government- established systems, planning, monitoring and evaluation.
This has invariably triggered the need for a very deliberate system of evidence that is transparent, accountable, results-based and transformational. The critical ingredient in evidence-based decision-making is a statistics system of which the official statistics system is core.
Stats SA adopted its strategic direction in 2010 to better respond to the information of the state in planning, monitoring, policy development and decision-making. The overarching goal is therefore to increase the supply of official statistics to inform evidence-based decisions by expanding and transforming the statistical information base. As such, the Stats SA Strategic Plan 2010-11 to 2014-15 outlines the road map for establishing a sound statistics system for economic growth, development and transformation.
Official statistics are arranged and structured according to international frameworks and standards. It is important to adhere to international frameworks as they promote quality statistics. This quality is manifested in terms of data comparability, coherence and international best practices supported by international organisations which are critical role-players in the global economy.
Lokhu-ke kuyasisiza kakhulu lapho sihwebelana namanye amazwe. [That is crucial in our economic participation in the international sphere.]
When talking about development and transformation the measurement of economic growth development and transformation is required to adhere to international best practices, methodologies and recommendations, including the requirement of the International Monetary Fund's special data dissemination standards. This requires that the principal focus should remain on the accurate measurement of the economy in terms of trends, levels and industry dynamics.
This objective will contribute in measuring the economy by providing information about the level of economic activities in relation to primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy; financial information on government and private sector businesses and information on sustainable resource management and use.
Transforming economic production, relations and the broader system requires the use and application of systems of evidence by leadership, decision- making and statecraft instruments. Knowledge is essential for good decision- making, understanding and managing the spatial and temporal dynamics of economic, demographic, social, environmental and political development in the country. Such knowledge and understanding is possible where accurate time series statistical data and information exist within the system. The biggest component of the systems of evidence are the statistics systems and in the main, the official statistics systems.
Uma ubheka i-MTSF yaMongameli ikubeka ngokusobala ukuthi, kuyo yonke iminyango kusuka kwesezingeni eliphezulu kuhulumeni omkhulu kwehle njalo kuya emazingeni aphansi ukuthi, makube nokwabelana. Yonke imikhakha kahulumeni ibe nolwazi oluphelele nolufanayo. Lokho kusisiza ezintweni eziningi engizibale ngaphambilini ngoba ulwazi oluthunyelwa emazweni angaphandle kanye nolwazi olungaphakathi luba wulwazi olugcwele noluphelele. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[The MTSF of the President makes it clear that information must be disseminated from the higher to the lower levels of government. All government structures should have comprehensive and similar sources of information. That assists us with what I mentioned before; the information sent internationally and that which we have domestically should be comprehensive.]
Coming to the economic and social infrastructure, the ANC government will continue with the infrastructure investment programme aimed at expanding and improving socioeconomic infrastructure, increasing access, quality and reliability of public services and supporting the economic activities, and impacting on employment. The aim is to ensure sustained investment growth over the medium term to achieve the target of a fixed investment ratio above 25% of GDP by 2014. The ANC government, in measuring the performance of national priorities, has adopted a delivery approach that focuses on outcomes. From the developmental focus of the MTSF, the government has derived 12 clear, measurable outcomes together with enhanced planning, monitoring and evaluation capacity. All of these aim at making an impact on development and service delivery. The ANC supports the Bill. [Applause.]