Speaker, on 29 October in London, Matthews Phosa acknowledged concerns about "the noise that has been heard around the issue of the nationalisation of mines in South Africa". He assured investors that "the nationalisation of mines is neither the policy of the ANC nor that of the ANC-led government". Even so, Castro Ngobese, spokesperson for the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, Numsa, promptly undermined Phosa by calling on government to nationalise the wealth of Patrice Motsepe and hon Tokyo Sexwale, amongst others. This call should not be taken lightly or treated as a joke. Nationalisation is creeping in. If it is not at the level of practice, then it is certainly at the level of thought.
Already, government is proposing a 1% tax to rescue the SABC. When this happens, the nationalisation of the SABC would have begun. Thereafter, we shall witness the nationalisation of health through the National Health Insurance, NHI, with further implications for taxpayers.
Speaker, this clamour for nationalisation from Cosatu and the SACP and others is unrelenting and intensifying by the day. Given how things are going in the ANC, Cosatu and the SACP, this will soon prevail. The writing is on the wall. Unfortunately the ANC allies are not dealing with the real issue. The correct debate should focus on how to correct the fact that our country is unequal and therefore deal with the challenges. [Interjections.] [Time expired.] I thank you. [Applause.]