Hon Speaker, in his state of the nation address, the President gave the nation a glimmer of hope. We welcome, in particular, the President's endorsement of the National Development Plan, NDP. The challenge for the President's vision, plans and strategies for this country continues to lie in their implementation and in real delivery. We do love this country and, together with the President, we want it to work.
Ons is lief vir hierdie land en, saam met die President, wil ons h dat dit moet werk. [We love this country and, together with the President, we would like it to work.]
We would like to assure you that we support all efforts made by government to construct a clear plan for our country's future. We therefore place much hope in you, Mr President, to make this plan a reality for us.
At the inaugural meeting of the National Planning Commission, on 11 May 2010, the President stated, and I quote: The establishment of the National Planning Commission is our promise to the people of South Africa that we are building a state that will grow the economy, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of our citizens.
As we as Members of Parliament are concerned about the funding of these projects, we will use our oversight role to ensure that no one will use your announcement, Mr President, as a platform to loot state funds from the poor.
The state must play a leading role in economic growth in partnership with the private sector. When we speak, we speak about jobs, jobs, jobs; poverty, poverty, poverty; and opportunities for all. What then is the role of the state? We call upon the ruling party to stop undermining our new democracy, because our previous hopes were dashed by this government's willingness to sacrifice development at the altar of patronage.
Mr President, we also note with interest that many of the infrastructure plans you proposed are actually old, repackaged proposals. We are glad that you have finally agreed to implement them.
The government has constructed a number of large macroeconomic plans, which now lie scattered across our 18-year-old democracy. In 1994 we witnessed the birth of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP. By 1996, as a means of reducing our debt burden, the RDP was succeeded by the Gear, Growth, Employment and Redistribution, strategy. These have been succeeded by the New Growth Path and the National Development Plan respectively.
However, defining the success of these plans is a thorn in our nation's flesh. The unholy wedlock between the ruling party and the labour unions also highlights the irreconcilable and ideological paralysis that constrains government's ability to get serious about implementation. It appears to us that government is perhaps better at building plans than building a nation.
Dit wil voorkom of u regering miskien beter is met die bou van planne as met die bou van 'n nasie. [It seems that your government is perhaps better at building plans than building a nation.]
It is also critical that government sticks to its core function of creating an enabling environment for us in the private sector. This will allow South Africans to take hold of their own economic future.
Finally, we would like to invite the President to make a choice today. Does his allegiance lie with factions inside the ruling alliance or does it lie with the people of South Africa? Today we appeal to the President to choose in favour of the people who commissioned him to lead our country. I thank you. [Applause.]