Ngqanga neentsiba zayo nezihlwele ezikhenkethileyo ezize kumamela olu hlahlo-lwabiwo-mali lweSebe lezoKhenketho, i-ANC kwinkomfa yayo yama-52, ePolokwane, xa kwakuxoxwa ngezidla umzi namalinge okwenza uphuhliso ngendlela eyenye, yafumanisa ukuba omnye unobangela wale ntswahla nentlokoma eluntwini kukunqongophala kwamathuba emisebenzi, indlala egqubayo, ubuhlwempu obuphuqekayo kwakunye neyantlukwano phakathi kwezinhanha nabakat' ilel' eziko. Esinye sezigqibo ibe kukuba kuthathwe izikrweqe, kuqulwe kungenwe kwidabi lokulwa le ndlala nale yantlukwano ingaka kuba izizo izinto eziyingxaki.
Ezi zigqibo ke zidale ukuqingqiswa kohlelo lwezokhenketho olwatyunjwa nanguMongameli uJacob Zuma kolo luhlu lwenze ezokhenketho lube yinxalenye yale milenze mithandathu yokukhulisa uphuhliso ngokukhawuleza, nto leyo ibizwa ngokuba yi-New Growth Path.
Kuye kwayimfuneko ke ukuba kwabelwe eli sebe isixa semali esijoliswe kweli phulo ukuze likwazi ukugalelela amaphondo, aze wona amaphondo ankinkishele oomasipala.
Kungoko ke ngoku siza kuthetha - ndivuye kuba noSekela-mphathiswa uphawule ngale nto yokuba ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Mrs V BAM-MUGWANYA: President and hon members, distinguished guests who have travelled long distances to witness this Budget Vote of the Department of Tourism, the ANC, at its 52nd conference in Polokwane, when discussing internal issues and efforts towards development in a different manner, found that one of the causes of the outcry and complaints from the people was a lack of employment opportunities, prevailing hunger, poverty and the appalling difference between the rich and the poorest of the poor. One of the resolutions was to take up arms and struggle against hunger, poverty and this big difference because those were the problematic issues.
These resolutions gave rise to the implementation of the tourism programme which was also selected by President Jacob Zuma from the list on which tourism is one of the six sectors which will speed up development, and this programme is known as the New Growth Path.
Furthermore, there is a need to allocate funds which will target this initiative so that budgets can be allocated to the provinces and they, in return, will allocate to the municipalities.
Therefore, we will talk - I am happy because the Deputy Minister commented about the fact that ...]
... there will be institutional collaboration and strong working relations between the provinces and local government with regard to tourism, geographical spread and seasonality.
These resolutions laid the foundation for Tourism's strengthened role in the implementation of that agenda, and directing its resources towards realising these objectives.
It developed into the integration and alignment of planning and implementation, including the development of coherent intersectoral plans at the national level, and the alignment of provincial and local implementation in terms of the integrated development plans of metro, district and local municipalities. This meant that our national touristic resource endowments, including human, fauna, flora, environment, arts, culture, heritage and hospitality resources, should be exploited to effectively maximise the growth, development and employment potential embedded in such national assets.
In his 2010 state of the nation address President Jacob Zuma reiterated the concern that unemployment and poverty persist, despite the economic growth experienced in the past 10 years. He therefore declared 2010 a year of job creation through meaningful economic transformation and inclusive growth.
The President furthermore indicated that tourism was among the six priority areas where jobs could be created, but that all government departments would align their programmes with the job creation imperative, and that the provincial and local government spheres had been requested to do the same.
The ANC government has identified tourism as one of the key contributing sectors to the medium-term strategic priorities of growing the economy and creating decent work. A coherent and co-ordinated strategic approach to tourism development and promotion, in the form of the National Tourism Sector Strategy, NTSS, designed to position tourism as one of the fundamental pillars of the South African economy, was formally approved by Cabinet on 2 March 2011. One of the key focus areas of the NTSS is to consolidate its efforts to create jobs, and it aims to create 225 000 jobs by 2020.
We are fully aware that the tourism sector in South Africa and its contribution to the gross domestic product, GDP, has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Its full potential has, however, not been reached yet, and the strategies developed by the NTSS, which position South Africa as one of the top 20 tourism destinations globally by 2020, provide guidance on how to grow tourism's absolute contribution to the economy.
The strategy serves not only as a tool of inspiration to grow the sector to greater heights than ever before, but also as a yardstick by which permanence is measured. It is the driver that will enable South Africa to reach ambitious growth targets.
The NTSS recognises that tourism is a concurrent function across all spheres of government, and further acknowledges the enabling role that other levels of government play in tourism. Some of the key success factors identified are, amongst others, rural tourism development, which will contribute significantly to the achievement of the 2015-20 targets; institutional collaboration; strong working relations; and consolidated efforts between the provinces and local government, contributing significantly to geographic spread and seasonality.
Schedule 6 of the Constitution makes specific provision for tourism to be a provincial responsibility. Provincial governments, therefore, have a critically important role to play in the development and promotion of the tourism industry in South Africa.
Provincial tourism organisations are key players in the tourism industry and have the responsibility for all the functions indicated at the national level, like facilitation, co-ordination, regulation, monitoring and development promotion. They formulate tourism policies which are applicable to their areas of jurisdiction, but always in accordance with the national policy. They are also partners in the implementation of relevant national policies, strategies and objectives.
As far as the involvement of the local communities in environmental management, safety and security of visitors, tourism project development and infrastructure provision are concerned, provinces are urged to play a more prominent role than the national government, with the budget and resources allocated to them reflecting this reality.
Specific provincial functions of policy implementation, environment planning and land use, product development, marketing and promotion are further supported at the local government level.
Specific functions of local government include responsible land use planning, urban and rural development, and provision and maintenance of tourist services, sights and attractions like camping and caravan sites, recreational facilities, parks, historical buildings, sports facilities, cultural attractions, theatres and museums.
One of the objectives of the tourism policy, research, monitoring and evaluation programme is to ensure that the tourism policy environment is conducive to sustainable growth and development by providing mechanisms and development frameworks to support local tourism planning and development over the medium term, and creating alignment with provincial and local government and a sector budget structure on an ongoing basis. Spending in this programme over the medium term will focus on support to ensure the inclusion of tourism priorities in provincial growth and development strategies and in the integrated development plans of municipalities.
Funds will also be used for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Tourism Sector Strategy between government, industry and civil society; ensuring collective ownership of the sector commitments and delivery; research; and developing and implementing a reliable and accessible information and knowledge management system.
Undlunkulu ke akawadwabanga nje la magunya nezi zigidi zemali kumaphondo ukuze aze kudlala upuca ngazo enze namathuba ezinto ezingatshongo khona ezifana norhwaphilizo. Hayi! Uwanikele ukuba ajolise kuphuhliso oluqaqambileyo, kukhenketho, nakoorhulumente basemakhaya. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[The national Department of Tourism did not just authorise these powers and funds to the provinces in order for them to spend unwisely and find opportunities to do unscrupulous things such as commit fraud. No! These funds have been allocated so that the provinces can target enhanced development in tourism and the local government.]
Considering all these strategies, we must always remember that all tourism development activities will represent all aspects of South Africa's direct heritage. The ANC supports the Department of Tourism's Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]