Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, Director- General and officials, ladies and gentlemen, I think that it will be wise to contextualise some of these things. The ANC issued constitutional guidelines for a democratic South Africa in 1988, and at that time you were supposed to have been arrested, hon Sinclair! Listen to the guidelines, which I am quoting:
The stage is now approaching where the Freedom Charter must be converted from a vision for the future into a constitutional reality.
Concerning the economy, the guideline says, and I quote again:
The state shall ensure that the entire economy serves the interests and well-being of all sections of the population.
If you understand this guideline, which was stated in 1988, you will understand what was said by the hon Deputy Minister Tobias-Pokolo - you will understand the context.
One of the greatest revolutionaries, Amilcar Cabral, once said - and let me say it so that you can have it as homework, hon Sinclair - that one cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. I hope you understand.
Democracy and political freedom are only meaningful if they affect and change the daily lives of people for the better. History teaches us that for this to happen, a democratic system must be accompanied equally by economic democracy and freedom; otherwise it loses its meaning and credibility in the eyes of the majority.
It is for this reason that our nation's Constitution entrenches and protects rights, such as those of prosperity, housing, health care, food, water and social security. How else can these rights be attained and protected if there is no economic democracy and freedom?
Our debate today on the DTI's budget and programmes - and in particular on industrial development, and trade and investment - seeks to address this question. The DTI exists to ensure economic development, growth and management through, among other things, facilitation of industrial development, promotion of trade and investment in the country, and regulation. All these have to be done within the context of a broad agenda of economic transformation, which started with the dawn of democracy in 1994.
In the context of the DTI, this transformation has to be based in the first place on the Freedom Charter's call that: All other industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well-being of the people;
All people shall have equal rights to trade where they choose, to manufacture and to enter all trades, crafts and professions.
This call directs us to actively take steps that will undo the colonial and apartheid legacy of racial inequalities in regard to ownership and management of industrial corporations, participation in trade, and entrance into appropriate crafts and professions.
From the perspective of the ANC, the DTI forms part of the crucial elements of the required technical capacities of a developmental state. It is one of the key government departments tasked with the role of transforming the economy through active state intervention.
The ANC committed itself in the last elections to a systematic programme of establishing a developmental state as an enabler to transform the country's economy, so that the goals of building a united, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous society can be achieved.
We recognise the limitation of operating within a mixed economy system, but believe its contradictions and challenges can be minimised by allowing for an active developmental state. This developmental state should be afforded space to play a strategic leadership and guidance role, using various intervention mechanisms and levers at its disposal to have an impact on transformation and change.
The ANC government has therefore, since 1994, assigned the DTI the task of developing and implementing appropriate policies, legislation and programmes which seek to promote transformation in all areas of the economy, including issues of trade, industrial development and regulations. This has to be done within the policy framework of our economic transformation vision, as is well articulated in our 52nd national conference resolutions. It calls for, among other things:
... an economic transformation which aims 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.
It further calls for implementation of an "active and well-resourced industrial and trade policy", and expresses the view that:
In general, industrial policy should lead our overall approach to sector development, whilst trade policy should play a supporting role and be sensitive to employment outcomes.
In 2009 the ANC was elected, based on its economic transformation programme which promised, among others things, the creation of decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods as a primary focus of its economic policies; to ensure that state-led industrial policy led to the transformation of the economy; and to ensure that a comprehensive package of measures was introduced to promote beneficiation programmes, in order to ensure that the natural wealth of the country was shared and developed locally and accelerated the creation of decent work opportunities in manufacturing and services.
In debating this Budget Vote we are encouraged by the DTI's commitment to this vision of economic transformation. Its programmes of industrial development, consumer and corporate regulations, and trade and investment in South Africa bear testimony to this commitment and will indeed lead towards the achievement of this long-term vision of transformation.
We note that for this Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period the main objectives of the department's industrial development programme will be faster implementation of the industrial policy action plan, which now forms the cornerstone of the New Growth Path strategy; addressing issues relating to unsafe and poor quality imports and promoting access to high value export markets; supporting industrial upgrading through various incentive mechanisms; leveraging large procurements; and promoting green industries and resource efficiency.
Through their consumer and corporate programme, they seek to align the relevant laws and policies and how they are implemented in order to increase access to economic opportunities for historically disadvantaged citizens, harmonise consumer protection and intellectual property, and reduce the regulatory burden on business.
On trade, they intend to promote African economic integration and implement spatial development initiatives in Southern Africa; address issues relating to tariff and nontariff barriers that inhibit South African value-added exports in key economies around the world; and build national consensus around trade and investment policy, strategy and negotiation.
As the ANC we welcome and support these initiatives, as they are clearly going to take us towards economic transformation, which will benefit the majority of our population. We want the department to be particularly vigorous in promoting the development and growth of the green industries. This focus will guarantee our future competitiveness in the global economy, as well as the creation of more jobs.
As members of the ANC and the committee, we want to make it clear that it is dangerous for people who do not attend meetings at committee level to come here and make serious unfounded statements without a proper context. If you are going to give us facts and figures about what is happening in South Africa, you should not conclude without telling us why we have this legacy. You must go on and tell us who got us into this situation in South Africa. We are trying to address the legacy that was created by the very same people who are now bold enough to say that they are the people trying to address the people.
The majority of people in South Africa voted the ANC into power because they are convinced that we are in line with addressing the challenges facing them. The ANC calls for the House to support this Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]