Chairperson, I want to first start with the statement by hon Njikelana. I can't agree more with what he said, but one thing that we need to note is that if the WTO can be true to its developmental objectives that will finish the Doha Round.
Currently we are faced with the situation where people are not honest about the discussions. There are still protectionist approaches. The current debate in the Financial Times between China and the United States is a typical example of tariffs imposed in line with this approach. I think it is something that we need to be bold and frank about, when we hold discussions and we are able to resolve it.
Of course, I agree with him. This is colonisation of a special type, in a way, because I don't believe in the current conjuncture that people are merchants in an equitable and fair manner. You will still find trade being inequitable and unfair in such a way that people want to benefit more from other countries and contribute less.
Africans continue to allow holes to be punched into Sacu, for example. The economic partnership agreement, EPA, that is being signed by Lesotho, Swaziland and other countries, actually undermines the regional integration that we are trying to achieve to build a regional economy and that speaks to the statement of Mrs Bertha Gxowa on Africa having an African investment bank.
On the issue of taxes that has been raised by the DA member, let us not pre- empt discussions of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply SA, Ipsa, and other role-players. Some of the issues that we'll be discussing are tariffs and taxes.
We want taxes on our products to be reduced so that we can effectively compete on the international markets. That is one of the issues our Minister, when we go to the Ipsa meeting, will be engaging with. Let's not pre-empt it. It is one discussion that we take seriously.
On the National Youth Development Agency, which is a concept of the youth league of the ruling party, it has effectively integrated youth institutions in the country, and we have seen responsibility taken by that structure to put its programme forward. Minister Chabane presented here in front of us the programme of that institution. I believe all government departments need to support it for it to be able to achieve its intentions.
Lastly, Chair, if you will allow me, I want to make a comment on the continuous statements made by Mr Maynier. The Defence Review was adopted by this Parliament, and the SA Army Strategy 2020. If you look at that document, hon member, as you were not there at the time we were discussing it, where I had the opportunity of being a chair of that committee at the time, the very same issues of rejuvenation of transformation that you are raising, were raised.
We actually said that in the Defence Force there is an Irish coffee situation where the majority at the middle management level are white and there is no transformation. Therefore, what we are raising here today is not new; it is what the Minister herself in a budget debate has acknowledged and has put a programme ... Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]