Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon members of the NCOP, ...
... mago?i, set?haba ka kakaret?o, ... [... chiefs, the House, ...]
... it is indeed an honour for us to address this hon House. We address this House well aware of the task that has been squarely placed on our shoulders. We are addressing the House with appreciation and gratitude that you found it in you to visit our shores in line with the aspirations put eloquently during the fifties, namely that "The People Shall Govern".
Ours, hon members, is to ensure that our people realise this necessity. By indicating that the people shall govern, it was definitely not envisaged that this particular power should only end up at the polls. It was also not envisaged that it should end at public hearings and podiums. It was meant that the power should be bestowed wholly on the populace of the Republic of South Africa, without taking into account colour, creed, gender, religious belief, etc. The question that we should be asking ourselves is: Who are these people referred to by the Freedom Charter? It is, therefore, submitted that these people are the most downtrodden the most exploited sections of our society - the poor.
It is, therefore, upon us to ensure that these sections of society, which are composed of workers and the peasantry, become the governing body politic. These sections should determine their future. They should have self-determination and determine the path of their future. It is against the above background that, as the people of Limpopo, we are taking part in the debate on the Division of Revenue Bill for the 2010-11 financial year. As Limpopo we support this Bill.
We are sure that by now, hon members, you have experienced the rural nature of our province. It is indeed in this province that we still experience subsistence farming in its classic form. It is in this province that we find the most poor. It is in this province that we experience lack of facilities for the advancement of the aspirations of the Freedom Charter.
Our people in this province are part of a large section of extremely exploited farm workers who, at times, are even denied the universal right of suffrage by the super profit-making farm houses of this province. It is indeed painful that, whilst producing good agricultural products, they cannot enjoy them lest they are murdered because they are mistaken for baboons that are illegally harvesting products that do not belong to them. The Freedom Charter calls upon us to ensure that the land must belong to those who work it.
As citizens of Limpopo we thought that it is important to indicate that this province is a product of wars of resistance that were waged against the apartheid regime. The descendants of the great warriors like Sekhukhune, Makgoba, Mantatisi, Makhado, Ngungunyane, Modjadji, etc, took it upon themselves to wage "guerrilla warfare" mass action, including the workers' struggle, in continuance of the struggle for the total emancipation of the peoples of South Africa.
It is in this province that we share borders with Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and, therefore, it follows that instability in those areas will directly affect this particular area. It is against the above background that our people understand and appreciate the call by the Freedom Charter that there should be peace and friendship. Our people understand that they should appreciate and live side by side with foreign nationals.
Therefore, as a province, we would want to impress upon you, hon members, that as you divide the revenue of the country, it should be appreciated that this province is also home to a lot of foreign nationals that originate from as far afield as Indonesia. Therefore, this leads to budgetary constraints in all sectors of government.
Limpopo is one of those areas that experience an acute shortage of water. There is a slogan that says that water is life. It has been said time and time again that ordinarily in our province water is a scarce commodity. Let us ensure that we become innovative in this regard. Let us ensure that we harvest water. Let us ensure that not a single droplet is wasted. Let us ensure that we provide water for all.
Health and social development are key to a stable social order. It is, therefore, imperative that as representatives and messengers of the people we should at all times ensure that we strive to promote healthy social conditions and social living. Once more the government of the Republic has and continues to strive to ensure that the populace of South Africa shares in the Budget of the country.
We would like to indicate our gratitude to the President of the ANC and the President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, for presenting us with hope in the Division of Revenue Bill for the 2010-11 financial year. In the same vein, we will urge all departments in Limpopo to ensure that they spend their budget fully and wisely. The money as presented should be transparently spent; integrity should be the order of the day, and a process of spending coupled with accountability has to be followed to the letter. Having considered the inputs of the permanent delegates regarding this matter, we support the Bill accordingly. Thank you.