House Chairperson, our rejection of this budget is based on the government's failure to grow the mining industry for the benefit of all South Africans. There is a forest of legislation that fails to be simple, clear and predictable. It has suppressed investment and production. It's becoming increasingly clear that the whole edifice of our regulation is aimed at advancing the interest of cronies and insiders, rather than empowering the disadvantaged.
To prevent the truth of this from coming out, the department is secretive and evasive rather than being transparent. The door is left open for corruption. Few insiders get rich while the country misses an opportunity. It's time for the empowerment of workers and communities rather than the serial empowerment of the same group of oligarchs. Until mining policy does this, we will not support this budget. [Applause.]