Hon House Chair, hon members, distinguished guests, let me start by declaring that Azapo supports Budget Vote No 11. [Applause.] However, we want to raise a few concerns. We agree with the Minister that there is a need for Eskom to be sustainable, but our concern is that this has to be balanced with the need to be affordable for poor, ordinary people.
Azapo appreciates the role that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa has played in keeping the cost of electricity as low and affordable as possible. In fact, we have serious reservations about Eskom's pricing model. Up to now, Eskom seems to have behaved like trade unions who demand 20% when they know full well that the real need is 10%.
Hon Minister, you are possibly aware of the challenge of skills development in our country and how further education and training colleges are struggling to rise to the challenge. We appreciate the input of state-owned companies in skills development. The number of learners who are trained every year is commendable. Azapo urges the Minister and the department to consider designing a training programme for FET college lecturers. We believe that this would have a multiplying effect. We are not saying that state-owned companies should not train learners. In fact, we are aware that this is not the Minister's responsibility. However, we are saying this because we have seen the quality of training that is done in state-owned enterprises ... [Applause.] ... and we compare it to the difficulties that we see in our FET colleges.
Minister, the portfolio committee was left with egg on the face when, having given SA Express a clean bill of health, it turned out that the financial statements had been cooked. It is now public knowledge that the financials were withdrawn. They were not withdrawn because somebody in the department had picked up or noticed any statement, but because of a whistle- blower. In Azapo's book, the existence of a whistle-blower suggests wilful wrongdoing by somebody. What the department needs to ascertain is whether there were persons who benefited from this misrepresentation.
Like all other parties, Azapo conveys its condolences to the Maluleka family. Van'wanati [Maluleka]. Thank you. [Applause.]