Madam Deputy Speaker, why should we be concerned about this debate and about what people make? I think there are two reasons and one has been given to us by hon Koornhof. It is because the public sector follows the private sector and as far as the private sector is concerned, it is a symptom of the economy not working. Salaries and bonuses have gone down as a consequence of the global crisis elsewhere, but they have not gone down in South Africa.
The hon Koornhof tells us that the situation is out of control. What are the controls that should have been in place, yet are not in place, surely not controls from the side of the state on private salaries.
I receive with a little of shiver of fear, if not horror, the suggestion of my delightful hon friend Dr Wilmot James that we pass legislation to tell companies how to reward their employees. That is a private relationship. The real controls are to be elsewhere and we understand the reasons why those salaries are so high. They are so high because our country maintains Petri dish characteristics of our economy. There is a lack of competition and flexibility, as Dr James correctly pointed out. The marketable skills are closed because it is not possible to import the necessary skills from abroad and those who have high positions can enjoy those salaries because there are no cheaper people available to compete with them.
The other reason why there is such a huge gap in salaries is because the companies pay them. Why do companies pay them? The hon Koornhof told us it is because they overtax consumers on their services and they charge too much, but it is the other way around. It is the possibility of charging too much in the marketplace, which is a Petri dish, which does not allow competition that enables them to pay the salaries they are paying. Once that happens within the private sector, it is necessary and unavoidable, as the hon Borman told us, for the public sector to follow suit. The public sector must compete ... [Interjections.]