Good morning, hon Chairperson, hon members, colleagues and compatriots. This is a people's budget for productive investment. It is a budget for an employment-enabling environment through accelerated industrialisation, driven by manufacturing and a regionally integrated continent that mutually benefits all Africans. That is why the ANC supports this budget. [Applause.]
The multiparty Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, that hard-working engine of Parliament ... [Laughter.] ... unanimously supported the report on Budget Vote 36. Let us not forget this when we hear ideological salvoes being fired in this House. [Laughter.]
The world has seen, in a short space of time, a shift in global economic forces away from the traditional powers to the East and the South. [Interjections.] Yes, you can hear me. I have a rally voice. [Interjections.] Acknowledging the importance of trade that underpins this economic thrust, the DTI has reiterated that South Africa will retain its traditional economic ties and partners, in particular the European Union, while building new partnerships with the countries of the South and strengthening its expanding footprint in Africa. The portfolio committee agrees that this configuration of the DTI's operational mandate is certainly pointed in the right direction.
We have seen so many achievements in the DTI, but I will be the first to say - acknowledging the DA's comments in the committee - that yes, many challenges remain. This is the case in any country in the world. Many speakers on the ANC side will deal at length with trade, regulatory issues, SMMEs, gambling and the likes, so I am here just to give an overarching view of what has been done. [Applause.]
There are a few things I thought I should say at the outset. I should mention the challenges first. The National Lotteries Board had the grace to send me an enormous bouquet of flowers when I was in hospital. [Laughter.] That did not alter my opinion that the National Lotteries Board, NLB, a critical instrument in sharing the wealth in this country, should identify gaps where this is needed. As a committee, we called for this and for the amendment of this legislation to ensure that the distribution agencies knew what the motives should be. We need to ensure that this does not rest on what I call an entente cordiale ... [Laughter.] ... but rather rested on legislation. We may in future get a chairperson who couldn't care at all about the vulnerable communities and then there would be no more entente cordiale. So, we are calling for legislation.
Now, I know the DA often brings in all kinds of things, including slippers, but mine is just a comment: I do not often read and trust all that I see in the media. But having checked on the facts, I must say that it's quite clear that there has been a shift and recognition of the fact that the NLB needs to engage with those organisations in the community that are undertaking valuable work.
To this end, according to the Zululand Observer of 16 May 2012, in KwaZulu- Natal, hon Oriani-Ambrosini ... [Laughter.] ... the Uthungulu Community Foundation, a very deserving local nonprofit organisation, met with the NLB. The CEO, Chris Mkhize, stated how much he appreciated the positivity of the whole engagement, because both sides recognised the challenges and how important it was for the NLB to get down on the ground. We owe this to the pleadings - the Minister is no lawyer - of the Minister in this regard. [Laughter.] I might add we owe it to the pleadings of the portfolio committee as well, because we are saying that the NLB is not like any other gambling organisation. This is a process that has adopted a maximisation approach to the regulation of the National Lottery. That is where the revenue is.
The idea, then, is that we do not impose restrictions because we would like to get as much money as possible freely from South Africans so that it can be directed to the right people. [Interjections.] It certainly is. May I tell you that I was shocked to learn that Hilton College was one of the beneficiaries. We put a stop to that immediately. [Applause.]
I realise I have hardly any time left - I don't know how this time works - but there are a range of incentive programmes. [Interjections.]