Hon Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, hon guests and comrades, this debate takes place on the day known as Victory Day in Eastern Europe, or the former Soviet Union. It is the day on which Nazi Germany capitulated and surrendered to the Soviet Union. This was the beginning of the end of the Second World War. This day marks the 77th anniversary of the formal annexation of Ethiopia in 1936, thus ending the notion of the only African nation that successfully resisted European colonialism during the scramble for Africa.
I mention these incidents not because I am a good historian or have a digital memory. I am making reference to these two incidents because, beside their historical importance, I read about them on the Internet. [Interjections.] There is no doubt that the Internet has reshaped the world.
Most traditional communication media, including telephone, music, film and television are being reshaped or refined by the Internet, giving birth to new services such as the Voice over Internet Protocol, the VoIP, and Internet Protocol Television. Newspapers, books, and other print and publishing facilities also adapt to website technology, or are reshaped into blogging and web feeds. The Internet also enables and accelerates new forms of human interaction through instant messaging, Internet forums and social networking.
One does not need to be a genius in order to realise that through information technology such as the Internet, the Department of Home Affairs can really make the lives of our people better.
It is a fact that our people, especially those in the rural areas, still travel distances in order to access the Department of Home Affairs' services. So, the million dollar question would be: What is the Department of Home Affairs doing to change the situation? This is necessary because people who are the poorest of the poor have to spend the little money that they have to travel from their local areas to other areas, mainly to urban areas, to access services from Home Affairs.
Ke ka baka la gore batho magaeng kamoka, ga ba kgone go boledi?ana le Kgoro ya Merero ya t?a Selegae ya rena gore ba kgone go thu?wa. [This happens because people who are in the rural areas are unable to communicate with the Department of Home Affairs about the services they need.]
Surely, this runs short of what the Constitution demands from us, that we should improve the quality of life of all citizens. This is because of one big element that is missing - information technology. It is missing, not because it is totally unavailable, but because it is not utilised optimally. There are, of course, many reasons for this minimal utilisation, ranging from financial constraints to human capacity. This means that we either do not have adequate technology or, if we do, that we do not have enough skilled personnel to implement that technology.
This is why, at the 53rd ANC conference in Mangaung, the ANC took very important resolutions relating to Home Affairs in particular. Among others, the conference further noted that the cross-departmental responsibility and competencies for border management created a duplication of tasks, weak data collection and control.
The conference resolved, among others, the following, and I quote:
There is a need for a single nation identity system which will contain a profile of all South Africans and documented foreign nationals who comply with our laws.
Those who read between the lines will realise that the two have the biometric smart ID card written all over them. This shows that the ANC can think smart and futuristic, can change with time, and can and will resolve these challenges using the modern technology, including information technology.
As I alluded to earlier, government can come closer to its people through its usage of information technology and communications, thereby increasing efficiency and helping to make their lives better. Communication is a two- way traffic system, which means people themselves can also inform government of what is happening in their areas through the use of technology. This will, in turn, enable government to align its services and programmes with the needs of the people. It will save government a lot of money, and there would be no need for an official to physically go to the places where these people live.
To have access to information allows government to lay a foundation for policies and to make commitments to improve conditions. The plight of the people will ultimately be improved by obtaining information from outside. Our government, through the department, will not be immune to this, which is why we support the strengthening of the information technology capacity of the department. This will save a lot of time and resources, not to mention making the relationship between the department and citizens simpler, faster and better. The late former President of the USA, John F Kennedy, once said, and I quote:
It is a time ... for a new generation of leadership ... to cope with new problems and new opportunities. For there is a new world to be won.
Today's new problems and opportunities relate heavily to changes in information technology and the globalisation of economic activities. To address these problems, we need new leadership, including senior managers and political leaders, that are clued up on information and communications technology.
Many people have said that money is power. However, in this age of knowledge, information is the new source of power - not money, which is in the hands of a few, but information, which is in the hands of many. By strengthening the information technology capacity of the department, we will be giving power to the ordinary people.
It should be noted that although those with financial resources are in a superior position to obtain and utilise information, modern information technology has given access to information to millions of people. It has enabled them to think and make decisions for themselves in an inexpensive way.
In a nutshell, in South Africa the true value of information technology does not lie in how it simplifies Internet banking, or in its ability to allow you to work from home. Its true value lies in its ability to facilitate receipt of a pension grant by an old lady in Matlapa-a-nkwalet?e and to facilitate receipt of a foster care grant by the poor children in Hlankomo. In other words, its true value lies in the ability to help us, especially the poor, to live more dignified lives as humans.
Apart from the substantial transformation, information technology will also bring about revolutionary transformation in the department. This is because, as a resource, IT has an inherent predisposition such as requiring certain skills and investments that lead to changes in organisational structure and management.
The department will have to adapt to fit into an age of information. This is the revolutionary transformation that we need for this department.
I am not sure, but I have a strong suspicion that the recent clean audit achieved by the department has a lot to do with the improved information technology system. For far too long, this department has been getting adverse, qualified audit reports. And there is no doubt that one of the main reasons for this was its lagging behind in terms of information technology. Luckily, this has recently changed, as it had to be sustained by the former Minister and the new Minister.
The importance of information and communications technology in government, with regard to Public Service delivery, can no longer be overlooked. The Department of Home Affairs, just like other government departments, needs an up-to-scratch, working IT framework to achieve optimal government-to- government, government-to-business and government-to-citizen interaction.
Remember, today's world is an e-world. We have the e-government, e- democracy and so on. I therefore hope and believe that this budget will enable the Department of Home Affairs to implement the e-ID, the biometric smart identification, cards. So as the ANC we support this Budget Vote. Bakone. [Thank you.] [Applause.]