Chairperson, hon Minister Davies, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members, comrades and distinguished guests, ANC policy is a point of departure. This Budget Vote debate is taking place at a time when the ANC- led government is entrenching its commitment to building a developmental state. Within the realm of Trade and Industry there are a number of instruments that have been developed, such as the New Growth Path and the Industrial Policy Action Plan, Ipap, 2011-12 and 2013-14. Through these instruments the department can make strategic interventions in strategic sectors of the economy to stimulate economic development and growth.
Ipap2 is a concrete action plan which requires sustained and focused work in order to ensure its success. Similarly, the New Growth Path seeks to set the economy on a new growth trajectory that is inclusive and labour- absorptive.
Of particular relevance to the current programmes of the department is the ANC's resolution on economic transformation. The resolution stated that the ANC's vision is to transform the economy to realise:
... an economy that is connected to the world, and which benefits from vibrant and balanced trade with the rest of the world. In particular, an economy that is increasingly integrated into the Southern African region and our continent as a whole, in furtherance of the goals of development and regeneration of Africa.
The resolution further calls for the implementation of an active and well- resourced industrial and trade policy. The resolution expressed the view that, in general, industrial policy should lead our overall approach to sector development, whilst trade policy should play a supportive role and be sensitive to employment outcomes.
When reflecting on the economic transformation, one can see that the resolution is being advanced through the three priority programmes which receive the largest share of the department's allocation for this financial year. They are also being advanced through Ipap2 and the Trade Policy Framework Strategy.
It is noticeable that the programmes of the department are directly related to the ANC's priority programmes as articulated in its 2009 election manifesto, namely: the creation of decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods as a primary focus of economic policies; ensuring that state-led industrial policy leads to the transformation of the economy, including making adequate resources available to strengthen the state-led industrial policy programme; directing public and private investments to support decent work outcomes, employment creation and broad economic transformation; a focus on labour-intensive production sectors; encouraging activities that have high employment effects; and systemic support for co-operatives.
It is important to understand that policy instruments such as the New Growth Path are driven by the quest to ensure increased economic redistribution. The New Growth Path calls for intensive government support for social economy initiatives, which includes the building of stronger co- operatives and support systems.
With regard to enterprise organisation, it is noticeable that the enterprise organisation programme received the largest budget allocation for the department, amounting to R3,4691 billion or 49% of the total budget. This budget has increased from R3,1 billion in 2010-11 to R3,5 billion in the 2011-12 financial year. This increase is compatible with its objective to stimulate and facilitate the development of sustainable and competitive enterprises through efficient provision of effective and accessible incentive measures that support job creation, investments and development, empowerment and enterprise development.
The budget allocation for the empowerment and enterprise development programme for 2011-12 has increased - it is R839,7 million, as compared to R792 million in the previous year. This increase can be associated with the programme focus on the development of policies, strategies that create a conducive environment for small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, and co-operative enterprises. This budget seems to be in response to the state of the nation address, which called for more support for small businesses and co-operatives.
Re swanet?e go netefat?a gore re agela batho ba gaborena makala a dikgwebo t?e nnyane t?eo di t?welago pele. Lenaneo le le tla netefat?a gore kgoro e ?omi?ana le dikgwebo t?e nnyane gabotse. Le ka netefat?a gape gore dit?haba t?e di nago le dikgwebo t?e nnyane di a ?omi?ana.
Re leboga maano ao kgoro e ilego ya a ?omi?a, kudu matlafat?ong ya basadi go t?a ekonomi, go akaret?a le SA Women Entrepreneurs Network, Sawen, sekhwama sa Isivande, Bavumile le Technology for Women in Business, TWIB. Kgoro e ile ya leboga basadi bao ba ?omi?ago mekgwa ya go fapafapana ya theknolot?i dikgwebong t?a bona ka go ba fa Difoka t?a TWIB.
Re leboga gape le peelet?o ya bjale kagong ya bokgoni bja theknolot?i ka Lenaneo la Techno Girls leo le akaret?ago le baithuti ba bannyane ba basetsana go t?wa Sekolong se se Phagamego sa Ratshisase kua Limpopo. Se se tla thu?a gore mafelelong naga ya gaborena e age diintaseteri t?e di t?welago pele.
Ke rata gape go t?ea sebaka se go leboga kgoro ka go aba diterekere, didiri?wa t?a go nwe?et?a, meetse a go epiwa le ka thu?o ya go thala lenaneo la kgwebo le molaotheo wa prot?eke ya set?haba sa Ga-Dikgale gona kua profenseng ya Limpopo. Maloko a hlohlelet?wa go ?omi?a ditirelo t?e di abjago ke kgoro. Ge maloko a sa ye go kgoro, kgoro e ka se tsebe gore maloko a hloka dilo t?e.
Re swanet?e go hlabolla ekonomi ya rena ka bokgoni bja go itirela dit?welet?wa t?a rena. Re swanet?e go tlogela tsela ya go nt?het?a dit?welet?wa t?a rena ka ntle ga naga, go akaret?a le didiri?wa t?e tala. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[We have to ensure that we build successful small business ventures for our people. This programme will ensure that the department works co-operatively with small businesses. It will also ensure co-operation among small business communities.
We thank the department for empowering women economically, including SA Women Entrepreneurs Network, Sawen; Isivande Fund; Bavumile; and Technology for Women in Business, TWIB. The department gave TWIB Awards to women who use different technological methods in their businesses.
We also appreciate the current investment in technological skills with the Techno Girl Programme, which includes young girls from Ratshisase School in Limpopo. This will help the country to build successful industries.
I would also like to thank the department for providing tractors, irrigation equipment, boreholes, the business plan and the constitution for the community project at Ga-Dikgale in Limpopo. Members are encouraged to use the services that are provided by the department. Members have to inform the department about their needs. We need to use local production to develop our economy. We need to stop exporting our products, including raw materials.]
With regard to local economic development, because this is the year of job creation, the role of co-operatives and local economic development is critical. This is to ensure a sense of collective social enterprise and the building of social capital. We must ensure collective forms of ownership that build social cohesion through building production and ownership- orientated community social networks.
The small business sector and the co-operatives need to be seen and evaluated within a context of ensuring inclusive local economic development that promotes the participation of vulnerable groups in society such as women, the youth and people with disabilities in mainstream economic activity.
In conclusion, this budget must help us to promote local products in order to build the local economy and social cohesion. The goals of Ipap2 and the New Growth Path must ensure that our economy creates decent work for all our people.
We in the ANC support Budget Vote No 36 - Trade and Industry. Thank you.