Hon members, thank you for the very, very constructive contributions, which I can assure you will always be taken into consideration. We welcome all the proposals as we traverse this important task of moving our people and goods.
We want to first emphasise that what is coming out of the budget that is being tabled here is, number one, a programme that is going to see unprecedented job creation and infrastructure development in our country. The allocation of an amount of R22 billion - R6,4 billion from last month to March next year - is something that should energise us to create jobs and new infrastructure, as well as repair failing infrastructure, something which has been recognised by this House over a very long period.
Mobilising the funds takes time, but they are now available. They might not be enough, but they are enough for us to begin, because R6,4 billion is not something to be pooh-poohed; it's something that we know we are going to make an important start with.
We have indicated the allocation to the different provinces, which is quite significant, over and above the allocated budgets. S'hamba sonke. Re sepela ka moka. [We move together.] I'm happy that members support this programme. We will welcome the participation of members in the different provinces as it is being rolled out, because that is where it addresses the provincial and local road infrastructure. That's where it is, and all of us are welcome to participate in that and give direction where it will be felt best.
Similarly, the rail infrastructure programme, which is claiming an amount of R30 billion in the next three years - R10 billion per year - should be able to inject a significant amount into our economy in manufacturing and local procurement. All this will be there for all members to see, interrogate and put proposals forward for.
With regard to the issue of road safety, I'm sure that members spoke for all of us here, particularly regarding the carnage on our roads, where the rates are now overtaking those for HIV and Aids and all those ailments and deaths that are difficult to prevent.
On road safety, we know of countries that have a vehicle population that is similar to ours. It's no use saying that we are going to have European cars here, but not have European laws to govern those cars. You are not going to have a computer and say, "I'm going to use it in my own way." It works in a particular way, whether you are in Japan or the United States or Zambia.
Similarly, on the road the level of negligence and of the skills of our drivers - those people who hold licences - make us question how they got them in the first place. The level of disregard for human life is quite astounding. There are people who are professionals, who would normally be very caring, but once they get onto the road it is something else.
That is why the national enforcement programme that we have embarked on is going to be merciless. We are going to be ensuring that you first of all have a driver's licence, because there are certain assumptions that you want to make about a person on the road. How are you going to make those assumptions? First of all they must have a driver's licence, which they must carry at all times, and then they must be sober. There is no way that you can say, "Look at me! Even if I've drunk so much, I can contain my liquor!" And so forth. We don't know that. Perhaps the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and that of Correctional Services will know. You can rest there while you convince them that it doesn't matter how much you have drunk, and you can actually carry your liquor very well!
This is going to bring us in line with other advanced civilisations, as we call them. First of all, if we are going to be democratic, how democratic are we going to be? Democracy doesn't just mean voting every five years. Democracy means that this is our land - we share it. The road is shared space - we share it. It's not yours alone. If you are alone on some farm somewhere, perhaps you can knock down trees and so forth. But, once you are on the road, it's shared space. It's used by other people.
Therefore there should be strict regulations regarding how you use that shared space. The enforcement is going to be very strict. We assure you that, as has happened elsewhere, we are strict and will enforce things. Later on there will be voluntary compliance, but we are now still very far from voluntary compliance, and therefore it's going to be enforcement and more enforcement.
On 13 and 14 June we are going to attend an investment conference. It's a very important conference, and it will be held here in Cape Town. It's very important that we are actually able to answer for ourselves how we are going to fund transport infrastructure. That's a question that, as I indicated earlier, even the United States is still asking.
How are we going to fund transport infrastructure? Do you toll, or do you find other ways? How do you build roads? Do you say to those who already have roads, that they are lucky to be in Cape Town, lucky to be in Johannesburg, and lucky to be in Durban, but that you are sorry for those at Qumbu, and sorry for those somewhere else? How do we ensure that the road infrastructure is actually available to everybody else?
What kind of freedom is there if someone who is asked to vote and does vote, gets a road and public transport infrastructure, but someone else does not - even though they both voted?
I want to take this opportunity to thank, first of all, the members of the portfolio committee, led by Ms Bhengu - all the members from all the parties. We have enjoyed tremendous support throughout the years. To Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin, the department led by Mr George Mahlalela, and the entire transport family, as well as the agencies, thank you very much. Let's take this department to new heights. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.