Finally, we will not depend on government by saying that the Minister of Finance must again dip into the coffers and pay this debt. That would mean taking funding that was earmarked for improving service delivery for the people of South Africa and spending it on the people of Gauteng. We say no to that. Anyone using the upgraded freeways that look like "the golden streets of Jerusalem," must pay for their use. The residents of Gauteng must pay for using them. [Applause.]
The aim of upgrading these freeways is to meet various needs. Indeed, we must remember that we are not an island, and that as we speak there is a global economic crisis. Now by not paying the e-toll fees we are putting more pressure on government. We must work together, think out of the box and see things from a different perspective.
Furthermore, Deputy Speaker, this is a sensitive matter on which we ought to see eye to eye with our alliance partner, Cosatu. However, my problem is that Cosatu is the one leading the marches against e-tolling, according to some people, but we don't see the people opposed to this Bill at the marches. They use our alliance to further their own ends. We must soon put a stop to this. In the past we used to say, in politics ...]
... once the enemy agrees with one all the time, surely one should take one step back so as to advance two steps forward. It is homework for our organisation to look into the matter; because ...
... asinakho ukusetyenziselwa ezinye iinjongo, tat'uLekota, nimane ukuthi ecaleni "bethani", nibuye nina niye kuphunga iikofu ezimnandi, nize nithi "nabaya ke, baboneni". Asisayi kuyivumela loo nto. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Ndiyayiva le uMnu Ollis athetha ngayo, yokuphucullwa kweendlela zibe kwimo entle, kanti ke asithethi ngoko kuphela. Sithi masizenze, sizakhe, kuba uluntu lwaseMzantsi Afrika luyanda. Ngonyaka wama-2007, ngexa kwakuqulunqwa lo mthetho, ukubuya umva kancinci, amanani oluntu ayengalingani nangoku. Ubalo lwabantu luyasixelela ukuba ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[... we cannot allow ourselves to be used, with the likes of Mr Lekota saying from the sidelines, "go on," and thereafter, whilst having some nice coffee saying, "there they are, look at them". We will not allow that. [Applause.] I hear what Mr Ollis is talking about, the issue of upgrading and maintaining our roads, but that is not the only issue. We must build roads because the population is growing. In 2007, when this Bill was drafted, to go back a little, the population figures were not the same as they are now. The population census tells us that ...]
... we need to be a developmental state and to improve our infrastructure going forward with the population that grows. You can't have unmaintained roads which also do not accommodate population growth.
Ngoko ke, ndiyacela ukuba sicinge ngokuphangaleleyo. Asinazo iinjongo ezizezethu. Andikhumbuli i-ANC ingumbutho ongakhathaliyo. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Therefore, let us please think out of the box. As an organisation we are not motivated by self-interest. I don't remember the ANC being an uncaring organisation.]
We are a caring organisation and there is no party or organisation or government which would want to lead its people, especially the poor, to poverty. [Interjections.]
Ngoko ke, le nto yenziwa yi-ANC malunga nalo mthetho kukuzama ukuhlangabezana neenkonzo esisileleyo kuzo. [Therefore, with this Bill the ANC is trying to address the service delivery backlog.] In fact, we have inherited these service backlogs from the previous government. We are going to address and redress them. Now, we must not be scared ...
... yile mikhwazo ivakalayo. Masiqhube ngokuphucula abantu bethu, iindlela neziseko zophuhliso eziluncedo ngokubanzi. Ngaloo mazwi, Sekela Somlomo, ndiyabulela. Siyawuxhasa lo Mthetho osaYilwayo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[... on account of the noises that we hear. Let us continue improving the lot of our people and upgrading roads and infrastructure generally. With those words, Deputy Speaker, we support the Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]]