Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, other Ministers present, hon members director-general of the department, deputy director of the department and members of the department distinguished guests, comrades and friends, as we are debating today Budget Vote 33 on Transport, we understand, as the ANC, that a lot needs to be done to improve the lives of all South Africans so that they can be in a position to reach their destinations through affordable means of transport.
Mine is not to make a speech, Comrade Chairperson, but I would like to concur with hon De Freitas, to say that although we are in politics, I believe that in the portfolio committee that we are in - Transport - we are very serious in terms of seeing that we deliver the best service to the people who put us in Parliament.
I believe that there has been a mistake made by hon Poho, as a member of our committee; he actually put forward an irrelevant issue that has been dealt with by the Department of Health - the issue of doctors. Ours is to deal with transport, so you will excuse me, hon Poho, we need to deal with relevant issues here.
As the ANC, we know that there are many challenges that we are facing as a country and a people when it comes to issues of transport, but by the same token, we should be proud of ourselves that the president of Fifa, Sepp Blatter has assured the world that South Africa is ready to host the 2010 World Cup. The construction work on our roads is seen as a problem by our people, but they need to persevere, because this is done for the purposes of developing our transport system in the right direction for a better life for all.
I would like to say to the hon Minister and Deputy Minister that we want to assure you as the portfolio committee that we will work together with the department. The department presented a good report to us. Director-General Mpumi Mpofu, we believe that we will not be fighting through this period, but we will work together in ensuring that we deliver to our people.
Ngibuyele kwelikaMthaniya ngithi-ke siyacela-ke ukuthi kwizinto enizikhulumile ninguMnyango izihloko eziyisikhombisa zohlelo enikhulume ngalo ukuthi nizinikeza lona ukuthi nizozibandakanya kulo. Nemihlangano nezinye izinto ezikhona ebenithe ziyohlangana nazo kuyothi uma kuhamba isikhathi kwenzakale loko. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Going back into isiZulu, I am saying that in all the issues that you have spoken about as the department, including the seven items of your programme that you yourselves have set as your target, meetings and other things that you promised to do, we hope that all will materialise as time goes on.] Hon Minister and Deputy Minister, it is your field.
Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe neSekela lakho yindawo yakho leyo. Ubaba uNdebele ubuya eNatali uyayazi le ndlela useyihambile ibanga elide. USekela Ngqongqoshe uyihambile lendlela ibanga elide. Thina -ke sithi siyiKomidi lePhalamende Lezokuthutha ngoba sinikezwe igunya abantu bakithi ukungamela iMinyango kahulumeni. Siyathemba ukuthi uma sibambisana sizokwenza okuningi futhi sizozoqhubekela phambili kulethemu yeminyaka emihlanu. Siyavumelana siwuKhongolose ngalesabiwomali. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Hon Minister and your Deputy, this is your field. Hon Ndebele comes from KwaZulu-Natal; he knows this route as he has been on it for a very long time. And the Deputy Minister has also been on this route for a long time. We as the Portfolio Committee on Transport, and because we are given the mandate by our people to exercise oversight over the government departments, believe that if we work together we will do more and that we will make progress in this five-year term. As the ANC, we support this budget. [Applause.]]