Hon Chairperson, Mr President, hon members, in Azapo we listened with appreciation, Mr President, to your timely call to join hands, not only to survive the present crushing economic squeeze, but to progress, to develop our country, to create jobs, to defeat poverty and to create a more caring society. It is particularly at difficult times such as these that the whole country looks up to you for leadership.
The story is told of a prisoner in Pretoria Central Prison in the sixties who called himself Long John Silver. He was the boss in his cell and, naturally, had the best blankets and could get the prisoners to amuse him in whatever way he desired.
They would run in a circle, singing his favourite song:
"Mmutla ka bohlale o tlogetse bana ba hae, o tlogetse bana ba hae." [The hare, because it is clever, left its children, left its children.]
Sitting in his corner Long John Silver would be going: "Krr ... Qah! Krr ... Qah!" At some point he would stand up and ask: "Ngubani lo?" [Who is this?] And they would say: "ULong John Silver." [It is Long John Silver.] "Ngubani lo?" [Who is this?] "ULong John Silver." [It is Long John Silver.]
Udlani na? Udla imealie rice, isinkwa no shukela, USilver wabantwana. [Uhleko.] [What is he eating? He is eating mealie rice, bread and sugar, Silver for the children. [Laughter.]]
The point is that he was locked up in this cell like the rest of them and he didn't have the key to get out.
The vast majority of us in this House, together with our compatriots in the townships and villages, are in a giant cell, without a key. Some of us might have better blankets or afford "imealie rice, isonka ne shukela" [mealie rice, bread and sugar] ... but, fundamentally, we are all in a cell.
That might explain why we would smash up a university if we were angry with the vice chancellor; why we would trash the city and vandalise as many things as we could find if we were in disagreement with the council or the mayor; why we would burn the train if it arrived late at the station. There is no sense of ownership of the city, Metrorail and its trains, and, of course, the university.
The terribly skewed ownership of the economy, the huge inequalities and the crushing levels of poverty all combine to deny us the strong clue required to unite the country - that is the workers, peasants, business and government - to work together to save our country from the ravages of the global economic meltdown that you referred to.
We agree with you, Mr President, that we must cultivate and nurture patriotism amongst all our people, but the content of that patriotism must be a more equitable ownership of the economy of the country. That's the missing key, and we must find it. Otherwise, how do we continue to ask people to save an economy from which they feel alienated?
We are pleased that education and skills have been prioritised. Without a functioning, effective and efficient education system, we will not get anything right - not the economy, not social infrastructure, not crime. As long as we fail as a society to give our youngsters skills and good character through education, the criminal justice system will continue to battle difficult odds.
We also hope, Mr President, that we will take advantage of these economic difficulties to develop, fund and commercialise new South African technological innovations, so that when the upturn arrives, we are ready to trade with the world in goods and services containing our own intellectual property. The talent and know-how are there, needing only support, recognition and encouragement. Increasingly, let our "Krr ... Qah!" take place outside the cell. Thank you very much. [Applause.]