Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members, and all protocol observed, South Africa, like the rest of the African continent, has a rich history and heritage of natural resources.
Quite naturally, mining has always been and continues to be the backbone of our economy as it accounts for more than half of our exports. Yet we continue to find the poorest people working in the mining industry.
The department seems to be failing in its strategy, as disclosed in last year's Budget Vote, which was to seek further facilitation of economic diversification, expedite progress towards a knowledge-based economy and create decent and sustainable jobs.
Apart from this, the safety and health hazards with regard to mineworkers remain a concern, as does the impact that mine drainage is having on the general state of the environment. The department is yet to rise to the challenge of the greenification of the mining sector.
Despite last year's prioritisation of the rehabilitation of derelict and ownerless mines in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the North West and the Northern Cape, little has been achieved, especially since the people living in these areas who slave away in the mines have nothing to show for it.
Yes, licences were allocated to previously disadvantaged people, but the government has failed to provide appropriate funding, training and development workshops to get the desired output.
We agree that South Africa needs foreign investment and we acknowledge the importance thereof, but it should not be at the expense of our own people, as in the case of Postmasburg in the Northern Cape. Our people should be afforded the opportunity to be made shareholders in mining projects, since for many of them mining is a way of life. Currently, a group of shareholders in the Postmasburg area are receiving meagre monthly share payouts, which is clearly exploitation.
Chairperson, let me just say this: A state-owned Alexkor mine has just been closed down for the third time in six months because of health and safety reasons. It is a good thing for the Minister and the Deputy Minister to come and tell us the good things that they are planning to do, but let us go to the people on the ground and see if these things are happening. Let's go down to the ground level and see how the people are developing in this country. [Interjections.]
Chairperson, let me say this one thing. We speak on behalf of the people and quote the Freedom Charter - "The people shall share in the country's wealth" - and yet we in this House know that the people out there don't share in the wealth of this country. It is a few members of the elite who are sharing in the wealth of this country. Thank you. [Applause.]