There is something which is very critical, something I will never take away. This committee is one of the best performing committees in this Parliament. There is cohesion and there is a common vision. But it is the cheap politicking which tends to bedevil some of the programmes and the progress which we are making.
For example, today the hon Harris raised a very critical issue. He said that Director-General Zodwa Ntuli brings a lot of work to the committee. So, we are being overworked by this regulatory work. That is precisely what we are here for. We have to work for our own people ... [Applause.] ... because if we don't, how are we going to ensure transformation in this country? So, hon Minister, keep up the good work. [Interjections.] We will always support that. We will work as hard as we have done in the past.
What is also critical here is that hon Harris raised the issue of discrimination against the Walmart-Massmart merger. [Interjections.] What is critical is that each and every country has its priorities. The priority of this country is to create jobs. That is the first priority. So, when you look at Walmart, let's look at its track record: Wherever they go internationally, in other countries, for each and every two jobs they create, they destroy three.
How do they do that? They do this because their competitiveness and efficiency is not found by being good in financial management or human resource management. They use the sweatshops in Bangladesh, where you find that the people in Bangladesh ... One Bangladeshi worker once said that he had to work for 18 hours for 15 days in a month. He had to work for 18 hours a day. So, what does that mean? It means that each and every businessman, when he creates a business, must make a profit.
Here in South Africa, Massmart is supported by a lot of suppliers who are manufacturers. So, if their competitor is going to set prices in terms of which their cost of doing business is not going to make their business viable, they are going to close down. This means a lot of people are going to lose jobs. That's why, as the ANC-led government, we are not going to allow that situation.
This is not unique to South Africa. Malaysia also controlled their direct foreign investment. They decided the sectors in which direct foreign investment was going to be accepted. If it was in the sectors they were not interested in, they would block that. So, since this is a developmental state, it is doing its duty to defend and promote the economic integrity of this country. [Applause.] So, that is why we support the Minister when dealing with that.