Do you see, Chair, the disrespectfulness of the DA members towards this House and Parliament? We should really send the DA members on a course to learn respect for other people and how to treat other people with respect.
Instead of getting more traders into the market, we see that trading opportunities are being reduced. The majority of the existing trade is still run by a few small minority monopolies and a few DA praise singers. No wonder the dissatisfaction levels under the DA have grown alarmingly in both the city and the province. It is only the wealthy and leafy suburbs that record higher approval levels.
Is it because the DA regularly cuts infrastructure budgets and cannot spend its money in underserviced townships where it is much needed? In fact, under the DA we have seen no real development. More manufacturing and call- centre losses were recorded.
It is simply riding the surf of the groundwork done by the ANC on the new stadium, the new township hospitals, the new bus service and bringing services to the people's doorstep.
This bus service was hijacked and redirected to affluent Blouberg, and the poor in townships like Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha have to subsidise a system that still runs at far below capacity. Thus, the most congested and overcrowded public transport routes to these townships on the Cape Flats are neglected by the DA-led government.
Clearly, the DA does not care for poor and ordinary people. It only uses them as cannon fodder, as voting cows and, ultimately, for political expediency. [Interjections.] The DA is closing down development and marketing agencies and redirecting its money and efforts towards DA supporters. We saw this in the manner in which the successful Cape Town Routes Unlimited was closed down - MEC Winde, through you, Chair - in favour of the badly run Wesgro.
Perhaps Minister Patel should consider establishing in the Western Cape a properly consultative development agency reporting directly to national government to look after the interests and aims of national government, instead of just donating money to the DA government to utilise for their party-political objectives.
This is becoming more urgent as we see the DA brand of governance being laid bare by the Public Protector as one of maladministration. And then they want to take the Public Protector to court when she gives her findings! Yes, this happened in the case of the Midvaal Local Municipality and it may soon also happen in the Western Cape provincial government. [Interjections.]
The MEC for economic development and tourism would rather hunt down small business than assist it. The DA-run administration closed down the Red Door advice outlets, reduced its spend on SMMEs, and cut funding to nonprofit organisations that served start-up and entry-level enterprises, as well as advice offices. Yes, it destroyed the mandatory consultative Western Cape Provincial Development Council and substituted it for a voluntary club where you have to pay your way to get in. To the DA, it is all about using a lot of words but doing as little as possible about issues. I see I still have a couple of minutes. [Interjections.] It is clearly reflected in the programme of the Budget Vote that this Vote does reflect the funding of policy priorities. These priorities are largely but not exclusively reflected in the New Growth Path policy document and can be traced in the line items of the voting of funds.
I want to thank Ministers Patel and Davies, and the Deputy Ministers, as well as Directors-General October and Mowzer and their staff for the support they have given this committee and for the wonderful outreach work that we can do as a committee.
I also want to say that the hon Makhubela is not part of the committee, yet he wants to instruct the committee on what to do. He does not sit in on our debates or our briefings. Therefore I don't think the hon Makhubela should follow the route of the DA. He should come home to the ANC, where he will get the wisdom that he still needs in these last days. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.] [Interjections.]