Chairperson and hon Minister, the ADCP firstly wishes to commend the Minister, National Treasury and Sars on their exceptional work in managing state finances, with the Budget being broadly well received earlier this year.
We fully support the main thrust of the Budget, which is galvanising society behind a national effort to place the country on an investment-led growth path. At the same time, the Minister remains committed to fiscus sustainability and controlling government debt levels.
Minister, one of the key challenges will be to control the growth in the public sector wage bill, and we wish you well in your efforts to achieve a social compact with stakeholders in this regard.
Sars is again to be commended on a remarkable performance, exceeding its adjusted target by some R4 billion. Well done, commissioner! What is of concern, however, is that the commissioner states that unfavourable public and media perception of poor state delivery and corruption poses the largest compliance risk to Sars. Minister, taxpayers are fed up with the abuse and waste of state funds, and this must be addressed. It is essential, therefore, to root out wasteful and irregular expenditure and corruption, considering that government expenditure will, for the first time, breach the R1 trillion mark - a massive pot to deal with and to take money from, steal and act corruptly with.
The Auditor-General has also indicated grave concerns that the lack of response from government departments to adverse audit findings is, as he said, very serious. Things are even more serious than we thought they were. The Public Protector has indicated that we are at the tipping point as far as corruption is concerned, and surely we should focus more time and attention on reducing fraud and corruption and on addressing the estimated R25 billion to R30 billion lost annually to procurement fraud and corruption?
Minister, systemic poverty cannot be eradicated without first eradicating systemic corruption. How can we then have reached this point where highly effective units, such as the Special Investigating Unit, SIU, have severe funding difficulties and have had to reduce staff, when they play such a crucial role in not only stopping fraud and corruption but also recovering misappropriated state funds? This must be addressed. Here, Minister, is a solution. You asked for solutions to problems - here is a solution: Capacitate our crime-fighting agencies. Let's give the SIU more capacity so that they can recover those billions and billions of rands that have been lost.
Minister, previous speakers have alluded to Sanral, and I am interested that we have a pamphlet that I am sure you are going to address. We note that government intends appealing the granting of the interdict. We believe that this will further delay getting to the heart of the matter, which is a review of the decision to toll the roads. At the same time, the Minister of Transport is requesting the contracts. He clearly did not have all the information. This is a great concern of ours. What was the reason for appealing the interim order? Shouldn't we get to the heart of the matter, which is the review application?
We see this Avis e-toll, and if the indication is that the Minister will raise the fact that it is Avis that is promoting this overseas, let us just mention to the Minister that there is broad public opposition to this. It is almost to the degree that while civil disobedience is not something we would promote, this is threatening with the Gauteng e-tolling. I would strongly suggest that government looks very carefully at this issue. Clearly, we need to be very aware and, Minister, the ACDP agrees with you that we need to try to find consensus, and that we need not to be opportunistic. This is a very serious issue.
Minister, we will rise to your challenge about new leadership. We would ask you and the ANC government to similarly rise to new leadership challenges. Will you be able to assert yourself over Cosatu, as other members have indicated? The ACDP will support this Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]