Mr Speaker, we praise the President for the initiative. However, we would like to express a concern that while this initiative will be taking place, the status quo will be frozen.
The question is: How do we explain to people in rural areas that resources meant for them are going to be frozen in order, for instance, to spend R2 billion worth of guarantees for Denel? These are guarantees for obligations that no commercial entity would back. Also, how do we justify that this Parliament cannot have sight of the secret contracts between Eskom and the aluminium smelters for very special prices, which again takes away resources from those who need them?
Isn't there a replacement or urgent political action which the President and the Minister could take now on matters, such as cutting Denel loose from the financial purse of the state?