Deputy Chairperson, hon Deputy Ministers and members of the provincial legislatures, hon colleagues and guests, before I start I would like to congratulate my chairperson on the way he put the problems in this meeting. I thank you and I think it is a great breakthrough.

The Division of Revenue Bill provides for the division of revenue raised nationally to be distributed among the three spheres of government. I believe we all wish the amount was significantly larger and that there was enough for houses for all, free medical care and grants for the deserving indigents so that every citizen could lead a respectable life. This division of revenue will change when gross income increases. The division of revenue will change once the recent census results become available in November this year. Furthermore, it will be affected as citizens move from one province to another in search of a job or a better life. Migration for a better life from our neighbouring African countries also places stress on our limited resources, as was discussed today.

Ons het nie 'n probleem met die verdeling of die formule van die verdeling nie. Dit moet net gereeld aangepas word. Ons het 'n probleem met die grootte van die koek wat verdeel moet word en wie plunder daaraan. Ons het gister 'n voorlegging van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan deur minister Trevor Manuel aangehoor. Dit is uitstekend en ons ondersteun dit. Die probleem is egter die uitvoering of toepassing daarvan. Dit blyk ietwat onmoontlik as ons kyk na die huidige onwilligheid om bo lippediens uit te styg en die plan uit te voer. Gistermiddag is dit bevestig tydens ons gesprek met die Ouditeur-generaal, Terence Nontembane. Ek bedoel Nombembe. Jammer as ek sy naam verkeerd uitgespreek het.

Nie een van die drie vlakke van regering beskik oor die nodige kennis, vermo en politieke begeerte of wil om die geld doeltreffend aan te wend nie. Amptenare wat nie opgelei is nie of nie oor die nodige vaardighede beskik nie, word vertrou met groot projekte en dus groot bedrae. Ons kommer is dat die geld toegedeel word, maar dit word nie doeltreffend aangewend nie. Dit lei tot ewe groot bedrae wat in die niet verdwyn. Amptenare word aangestel weens hul politieke verbintenisse, ongeag vaardighede en kwalifikasies. Hulle faal gevolglik, maar word dan net in 'n ander posisie herontplooi.

Die President, sowel as die Minister van Finansies, het baie klem gel op infrastruktuurontwikkeling en werkskepping, maar daar is geen oorsig oor die implementering van die planne nie.

Die ekonomie moet groei om te voorsien in ons land se behoeftes. Werkskepping is 'n duidelike gevolg van groei in die ekonomie. Groei in die ekonomie beteken 'n styging in die fisiese lewering van dienste en produkte. Die DA se beleid van 8% groei in die bruto binnelandse produk is juis noodsaaklik om werkskepping te verseker.

Ons markte is beperk en daarom moet uitvoer gestimuleer word om 'n styging in die totale bruto binnelandse inkomste van die land te veroorsaak. Om dit suksesvol te kan doen, moet ons kompeterend wees. Dit beteken ons moet goedkoper produseer. Dit word verkry deur 'n effektiewe verbetering in produktiwiteit wat die arbeidskomponent verlaag en produkte en dienste meer bekostigbaar maak.

Om ons ekonomie te laat groei saam met uitvoer, moet ons intense opleiding verskaf en spesialiste oplewer wat uitstaande diens kan lewer. Ons sal moet kers opsteek by ons vennote in die Brics-lande, waar daar goeie groei is. Gister het minister Manuel dit duidelik aan die Nasionale Raad van Provinsies gestel dat ons nie moet toelaat dat die vakbonde die Suid- Afrikaanse ekonomie regeer nie.

Tydens die Internasionale Monetre Fonds se besoek aan die Vaste Komitee oor Finansies in 2010 was die oorheersende vraag ook hoe loonverhoging die koers van inflasie kon oorskry, veral met die onaanvaarbaar ho werkloosheid syfer in Suid-Afrika. Die Nasionale Beplanningskommissie beveel selfs aan dat arbeidswetgewing ernstig heroorweeg moet word om werkskepping en die kompeterende aspekte aan te spreek. Geen wonder die Minister van Finansies het sy ernstige kommer uitspreek oor die ho salaris- en loonkomponente van die Begroting nie. Die grootste probleem wat doetreffendheid benadeel is die onwettige of korrupte besteding van geld. Daar is te veel bewyse van die onrelmatige besteding en ook misbruik van geld deur politici en amptenare op alle vlakke van regering. Ja, ons wil tog so graag "uithang" en spoggerig wees - kyk na ons agb Minister van Sport en Ontspanning! Net gister het minister Manuel 'n agb lid van die Nasionale Raad van Provinsies gevra waarom die NRVP die dag se vergaderings in 'n spoghotel moes aanbied. Waarom nie binne die perseel van die Parlement nie? Wat 'n beredeneerde vraag!

Ek is oortuig dat ons as politici in die spiel moet kyk. Dis waar ons moet begin. Ons moet professionele politici wees. Ons wonder waar die politieke oortuiging is om toestande te verander. Ons verteenwoordig ryk en arm. As politici moet ons, soos ons hier sit, politieke verantwoordelikheid aanvaar en eties korrek en met respek optree - dis ons plig. Op die oomblik het mislukkings en korrupsie nie ? baas nie, maar kom ons sit hulle in die tronk nog voordat hulle kan verskuif na die volgende ontplooiing. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[We have no objection to the division or to the formula of the division. It should just be adjusted regularly. We do have a problem with the size of the cake that has to be divided as well as with those who are raiding it.

Yesterday we attended a presentation of the National Development Plan by Minister Trevor Manuel. It was excellent and we support it. The difficulty lies with its execution or implementation. It appears to be somewhat impossible when we consider the current unwillingness to rise above mere lip service and to execute the plan.

This was confirmed yesterday afternoon during our conversation with the Auditor-General, Terence Nontembane. I mean Nombembe. I am sorry if I have pronounced his name incorrectly.

Not one of the three tiers of government has the necessary knowledge, capacity and political will at its disposal to utilise the funds effectively. Officials who have not been trained or who lack the required skills are entrusted with large projects and therefore large sums of money. Our concern is that the money is allocated, but is not utilised effectively. This gives rise to equally large sums of money vanishing into thin air. Officials are being appointed because of their political connections, irrespective of skills and qualifications. Consequently, they fail, but are then simply redeployed in another position.

The President, as well as the Minister of Finance, placed a lot of emphasis on infrastructure development and job creation, but there is no oversight with regard to the implementation of these plans.

The economy has to grow in order to provide for our country's needs. Job creation is a clear result of growth in the economy. Growth in the economy means an increase in the physical delivery of services and products. The DA's policy of 8% growth in the gross domestic product is, in fact, essential in order to guarantee job creation.

Our markets are limited and exports should therefore be encouraged in order to generate an increase in the gross domestic revenue of the country. In order to be able to do that, we must be competitive. This means that we must produce more cheaply. This is achieved by way of an effective improvement in productivity that reduces the labour component and makes products and services more affordable.

In order to grow our economy, we have to provide intensive training and produce specialists who are able to render outstanding service. We will have to seek information from our partners in the Brics countries, where good growth is taking place. Yesterday Minister Manuel clearly stated to the National Council of Provinces that we should not allow the trade unions to rule the South African economy.

During the 2010 visit by the International Monetary Fund to the Standing Committee on Finance the main issue was also how salary increases were allowed to exceed the inflation rate, especially given South Africa's unacceptably high unemployment figure. The National Planning Commission has even recommended that labour legislation be seriously reconsidered in order to address job creation and the competitive aspects. No wonder the Minister of Finance has expressed his deep concern regarding the high salary and wage components of the Budget.

The biggest problem hampering efficiency is the illegal or corrupt spending of money. There is too much proof of irregular expenditure as well as abuse of money by politicians and officials at all levels of government. Yes, we dearly love to hang out and brag - take a look at our hon Minister of Sport and Recreation! Just yesterday Minister Manuel asked an hon member of the National Council of Provinces why the NCOP had to hold the day's meetings at a posh hotel. Why not within the parliamentary premises? What a well- considered question!

I am convinced that we, as politicians, should take a look in the mirror. That is where we should start. We should be professional politicians. We wonder where the political will is to change the state of affairs. We represent the rich and the poor. As we sit here as politicians we should accept political responsibility and act ethically correctly and with respect - that is our duty. Currently failure and corruption are out of control, but let's put them in jail even before they can move to the next deployment.]

Let us join hands across political divisions and execute our oversight responsibilities, as affirmed on the day we were sworn in as members of the NCOP. [Applause.]