The hon Michael selectively quotes the statement I made last week and I am sure she is feeling very proud of herself right now. But, you know, she is naughty. [Laughter.] She stole the hon Groenewald's speech about the Transnet pension fund. Hon Groenewald had nothing to say on this podium today. [Interjections.] It's wrong, man! [Laughter.]
The hon Sithole delivered a speech written by the hon Oriani-Ambrosini on his sickbed. [Laughter.] It doesn't warrant a response because I'm not sure if the hon Ambrosini was in a healthy state of mind ... [Applause.] ... or whether he is listening, because he repeats the same speech every year.
We have made the point clearly that we expect no delays in delivery of first power at Medupi. But South Africans must not regard it a burden to partner Eskom and government in saving power. This is where we differ fundamentally from our opposition. Where we regard the masses as their own liberators, they believe that the masses are mere spectators and must be passive recipients of the processes of change. [Applause.] Where we believe that the masses must become partners in the national effort to transform our society and its economy, they believe that the masses must sit despondently at home, lamenting and joining them in whining, expecting that the market will level the playing field and redistribute resources. What you heard here today is a fundamental ideological difference between us and our neo-liberal opponents who believe in the failed system of the market - that the market is the great distributor of resources and that it is a great leveller. [Interjections.]
You have listened to an interesting debate today, hon members, where the negative focus on the challenges facing some of our state-owned companies was drawn up and used to try to eclipse the achievements of these companies. I think that effort failed dismally. [Interjections.]
When we bailed out SAA, we did so not by privatising it, but by ensuring that we stayed on course in implementing the turnaround strategy to which we had agreed. Even as it experienced the challenges that it did, SAA remained operationally sound and was even able to make cost savings by the end of March in the 2012-13 financial year. [Interjections.] The fact is: While the dogs are barking, the car keeps moving and picking up speed. [Applause.]
Finally, let me quote from a message I received from a concerned South African:
The opposition reminds me of listed company equity analysts: They have so much to say about what should be done and yet have no clue what it takes to do it. To me, this is no different from shouting instructions at my beloved Kaizer Chiefs on TV when I've never kicked a ball in professional life. It's actually pretty childish, bra'.
[Laughter.] Enough said. Thank you. [Applause.]