Chairperson, in support of the Budget Vote, the ANC will continue emphasising the significance of the Public Service Commission's existence as an important organ of oversight. The Public Service Commission's Vote allocation was not correct in the past arrangement and is still not correct currently, so there is nothing new in this arrangement. This provides us with a good opportunity to correctly locate the Public Service Commission in a position that will assert its independency completely.
The process has already been started and will be concluded quite soon. The Minister, the presiding officers, and the committee, together with the Public Service Commission itself, have started the process of allocating this important organ to the correct structure. In the committee we have continued to engage objectively, constructively and openly on these matters.
Any other matter that comes before us will be confronted quite constructively. We therefore don't say that it was correct in the past or that it is correct now, but we are actually saying that this has provided an opportunity for us to deal with it correctly, and not for grandstanding politically. I thank you. [Applause.]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance dissenting).
Vote No 12 - Statistics South Africa - put and agreed to.
Vote No 13 - Arts and Culture - put.
Declarations of vote: