Chairperson, hon members, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Provincial Week is indeed a barometer for the government to see how far the vision of government has been accomplished and implemented.
During our Provincial Week in the Northern Cape, we met with district and local municipalities in the Kgalagadi District Municipality. We also met with mining houses and listened to their vision and plans to create jobs and uplift our people's lives. The mining houses play a critical role in the Northern Cape. The mining houses are building quality houses and they are involved in improving infrastructure.
Hon Chairperson, the only problem that we were faced with during our Provincial Week was with John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality. According to the Auditor-General's report, the local municipalities' finances are in order but it looks like the district municipalities must learn from the local municipalities. The mining houses have even offered their chief financial officers to assist and help them with how to do their finances.
The workers of Kumba Iron Ore Ltd are shareholders. Every fourth year in November, each worker has benefited by about 0,01% of the profits made by the mine, irrespective of his or her position or how long he or she has been working there.
The inequalities in our country are still very great. It is crucial that government structures be strengthened to provide efficient services to all the people of the country, and every effort must be made to bridge the gap of inequality.
Listening to the hon Minister Mahlangu-Nkabinde's plans and vision for the department - to uplift our people by empowering them and to create decent jobs - is encouraging. How I wish that all Ministers could come and stand here and say, "Criticise me. I am big enough to listen." That is the sign of a leader. That is a sign of someone who takes the people's lives seriously and says, "Yes, I am the Minister, but I am a human being and I can also make mistakes. So, I need you to keep me on my toes in order for me to do my work better." How I wish that many Ministers would come to this Council and acknowledge that.
Let me just mention the example of the gym for Members of Parliament in this Parliament. [Interjections.] It is supposed to be the Members of Parliament's gym, but you cannot get in there, because it is not in a good enough state for Members of Parliament. This is a sign that planning must be done properly in order for us to set an example. They must treat us as Members of Parliament, because the people have trusted us to run this country as Members of Parliament.
Hon Chairperson, let me close by quoting from Ecclesiastes 9:14-16. I am a man who loves the Scriptures. I am crazy about the Word of God, and I believe that the Word of God is the ultimate authority. I quote:
There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siegeworks against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.
I thank you. [Applause.]