There's nothing wrong. Eskom is state- owned, but is involved in business. There are many others. Alexkor is the same. It is doing so well. Don't have a lopsided view. Look at the total picture; don't be negative. [Interjections.]
You know, hon Dexter, you are negative. [Interjections.] You are. You are terrible.
May I also say I agree with you, hon Dexter. I think I agree with you on the key issues you have raised. These are issues which are being addressed, but I must also indicate that beneficiation is not a lip-service issue and it is not an event; it is a process. Because, at the end of the day, whatever strategy we come up with must be workable. I think the two of us know these are not events. If we make them events, they are going to collapse. Whatever we bring to this House must be sustainable and it must work. That's the intention of beneficiation. So it's not lip service; we are determined to make sure that we have a strategy which can make South Africa better and able to compete globally.
On the issue of competitiveness, the recent summit was precisely to address the issue and the repositioning of the mining sector within the global environment. We recognise that we have lost in many, many ways and we can't afford, with the current upswing, to lose another opportunity to make mining better within the global environment. That's what we are targeting. So I just want to assure you that that's where we are going and we are positive that we are going to get there. [Interjections.]
Well, I can't speak on behalf of unions, you know. We used to be unionists. If unions are weak, what can we do? Maybe the two of us must go back and make sure that we strengthen them again. [Laughter.]
I also want to touch on rehabilitation. We can't as a department say that we will be able to budget R30 billion as the government. This is government money, and there are many, many priorities in government. So, we have got to share this cake which comes from taxpayers' money. So we are positive that the R52 million we have is the beginning. It will take us somewhere.
I must also indicate, hon members, that derelict and abandoned and ownerless mines are a legacy of the past. The current laws are correcting that. In terms of what we are bearing today, all of us must make sure that we rehabilitate that land for usage, because what has happened is not of our own making, it is not of our own taking. So I just want to say: Co- operate with us. We want to develop a plan for rehabilitation. As for those who managed to fill their tummies and then left, unfortunately we can't find them. If we could, we would want them to take responsibility for the mess they have caused in this country.
I must also say, Mr Marais, that the policy of this country is clear, there is no confusion. Compliance is quite clear. How we issue permits is quite clear, Mr Schmidt. We are addressing the gaps, but I don't have a magic wand that makes things happen magically; we have got to put in place processes which address some of the issues you have raised in the past, some of the issues which you continually bring to our attention, with the intention of bettering the situation.
We are not saying we currently have the best, but we are making efforts to achieve the best or better the environment within the mining environment. So we all want you to co-operate with us, and we hope the committee will be positive in making sure that your inputs are recognised, and that we are able to move together, because it is not for me. If the mining sector is good it's not for me; it's for all of us. It is for our benefit. It is for our future children. So we have a responsibility. It cannot be seen to be an issue of the ANC. It is an issue for all citizens of this country.
The last point which I want to touch on, hon Marais, is that we have not nationalised anything. What we have done with the mineral resources of this country is just to make sure that they are in compliance with United Nations conventions. It is only South Africa which was an anomaly, where mineral rights used to be in private hands. Let me also say that one of the critical issues we faced when we came into government in 1994 was that the minerals of this country were stifled by a few people who had ownership. No new investment could come into the country. The new law - which states that mineral rights reside with the state - has opened up many opportunities. That is why, today, this industry is so dynamic. That is why everybody today knows about this industry, even if a person does not have an understanding of the mining sector. Today they understand what goes on here. So I just want to clarify that issue.
Nationalisation is a fact. It's indeed a fact. It's not government policy but we can talk about it. There's history to everything. Why should we want to reinvent certain things? If discussions happen, there's nothing wrong. If you go to America, nationalisation is being discussed. If you go to the UK, you will find the issue there. But the key issue is how we respond and how we apply our minds in a way that makes sure that we are responsible and we are able to create a future for our country. So it is not that we must all jump because somebody has raised something out there. We can't do that. We must apply our minds. We must be dynamic. We must be scientific. We must learn from history. We must learn from what happened in other places. There is nothing new which is happening in South Africa. We have learnt from the past. We are a free-market economy. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.