Hon Chairman, hon members, what South Africa needs is a viable economic policy that encourages the creation of sustainable jobs. The ANC's response to the present job crisis - after having listened to the hon Fubbs - is to implement the so-called "developmental state". But this is not clear because there is no consensus within the ANC on what a developmental state entails.
South Africa is going through a severe economic recession. The question that every South African must ask is whether this particular policy that relates to a developmental state will lead to sustainable growth and sustainable jobs, or if a developmental state is just another experiment for short-term political gain. The fact remains that thousands of members of pension funds and South Africans from all walks of life have become poorer during this present recession.
This particular economic model, namely the developmental state, was used - as the hon Fubbs said - in a number of Asian economies to industrialise and attain economic growth, with varying degrees of success. At the same time, the obsession with centralisation in these countries impeded the evolution of democracy. Whether we believe it or not, the key to sustained economic growth is also economic freedom. I think the hon Fubbs quoted Japan, but there are a number of other countries such as Korea and Taiwan. One of the outstanding characteristics of these particular developmental states was a very efficient public service that was able to deliver. The question we have to ask ourselves is how our present Public Service will fulfil the requirements and needs of a developmental state.
What we need is less debate around redesigning South Africa's entire economic growth model, and more time spent on addressing fundamental economic deficiencies within our particular system. First and foremost, the inefficiency of the public sector is untenable. Regulatory issues that impede South Africa's global competitiveness must be taken into account.
The skills mismatch with an educational system, which is not responding to the needs of the South African economy, is also of grave importance. Our university enrolment rate is only 15%, and I am quoting this from the latest edition of the Global Competitive Index. Somebody must take responsibility for this particular state of affairs.
Another factor which impedes economic growth in our country is our onerous labour regime. Parastatals such as Eskom and others are poorly managed and fail to provide adequate power for economic growth. Something else that impedes growth is the poor security situation and the cost of crime and violence. The question that is often asked by members of the public is whether the police are able to provide adequate protection.
During this economic recession, it is of vital importance that we keep our economy competitive. Therefore, the appropriate reciprocal relationship between the private and public sectors must exist. In fact, we must strengthen this particular relationship. Die ANC is reeds vir meer as 15 jaar aan bewind. Word die ontwikkelingstaat nie deur Luthuli-huis as 'n model gebruik om meer beheer oor die ekonomie te verkry nie? Waarom moet beplanning en beheer sentraal geskied? Dit is 'n vraag wat nie net in Suid-Afrika gevra word nie. Dit word regoor die wreld gevra. Die staat speel wel 'n sleutelrol in ekonomiese ontwikkeling. Sy kernfunksie is di van reguleerder, maar die privaatsektor is ook belangrik. Tewens, as ons byvoorbeeld kyk na die private gesondheidsektor, sien ons dat die private gesondheidsektor die openbare gesondheidsektor nodig het. Daar moet 'n simbiotiese verhouding geskied en vice versa. Ons kan nie van die ekonomiese werklikhede wegkom nie.
As dit by ekonomiese ontwikkeling kom, gaan dit oor meer as net woorde. In die 15 jaar van die ANC-bewind, is daar etlike gonswoorde deur die ANC gebruik soos Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, Asgisa; Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP; Growth, Employment and Redistribution, Gear, en andere. Die DA s, in wese gaan dit oor die uitbou van 'n ope geleentheidsgedrewe samelewing wat spesiale klem plaas op die ontwikkeling en bemagtiging van al die mense in Suid-Afrika, nie net 'n klein minderheids- of elite groep wat noue politieke en ekonomiese bande met 'n politieke party, naamlik die ANC, het nie. Ek is bevrees dit is die toedrag van sake, of ons dit nou wil glo of nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The ANC has been in power for more than 15 years already. Is Luthuli House not using the developmental state as a model to get more control over the economy? Why should planning and control be centralised? This question has not only been asked in South Africa. It has been asked throughout the world.
The state is indeed playing a key role in economic development. Its core function is that of regulator, but the private sector is also important. Besides, when we consider the private health sector, for example, we find that the private health sector needs the public health sector. There has to be a symbiotic relationship, and vice versa. We cannot escape the economic realities.
When it comes to economic development, paying lip-service is not enough. In the 15 years of ANC rule, a number of buzzwords were used by the ANC, for instance, Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, Asgisa; Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP; Growth, Employment and Redistribution, Gear, and some other buzzwords. The DA is saying that it is in essence about the development of an open opportunity society with special emphasis on the development and empowerment of all the people of South Africa, not only a small minority or elite group who has close political and economic ties with a political party, namely the ANC. I am afraid this is the state of affairs, whether or not we want to believe it.]
One of the positive outcomes of the Asian developmental state was that the small business sector in Japan and Taiwan grew at a phenomenal pace because an entrepreneurial culture was cultivated. It is tragic that South Africa does not have an entrepreneurial culture and that the ANC government's actions do not promote this. In fact, they run counter to it. Government makes it more difficult for entrepreneurs and small businesses to operate and save due to excessive red tape and a regulatory framework that is not favourable to business creation and sustainable job creation. We can look at the facts.
Instead of building an Asian tiger, the government is creating an African ostrich. I use this metaphor of the African ostrich because it is of vital importance that we face the real economic challenges that pose a threat to our economic wellbeing in a courageous, bold manner and not hide behind a controversial economic model which was used in the 70s and 80s in Asia. Thank you, Mr Chairman. [Time expired.] [Applause.]