Voorsitter, die DA is bly dat die begroting van die Departement van Openbare Ondernemings, ten opsigte van oordragte na openbare ondernemings, afgeneem het vanaf R2 miljard verlede jaar, na net R138 miljoen vanjaar.
Die DA is egter van mening dat te veel geld na openbare ondernemings oorgedra word. Baie van die openbare ondernemings soos SAL, Denel en Eskom kan nie finansieel van die grond af kom nie, en daarom het daar 'n spreekwoord onstaan wat na openbare ondernemings as "bakhandstaan ondernemings" verwys, omdat hulle van die belastingbetaler afhanklik is vir finansile oorlewing.
Een van die groot redes vir hierdie swak prestasie is, eerstens, omdat die Departement van Openbare Ondernemings nie daarin slaag om die prestasies van openbare ondernemings behoorlik te monitor nie. Die tweede rede vir hierdie swak prestasie is omdat die departement nie daarin slaag om die staatsaandeelhouer bestuursfunksie suksesvol toe te pas nie. Dit plaas geweldige druk op die belastingbetaler.
Die DA s al lankal dat sekere openbare ondernemings soos SAL geprivatiseer behoort te word om hulle ekonomies onafhanklik te maak. Minister Manuel, sekere openbare ondernemings soos Denel, wat reeds bankrot is, behoort gelikwideer te word. Ander openbare ondernemings soos, onder andere, die South African Forestry Company Ltd, Safcol, wat selfstandig kan bestaan, behoort verkoop te word.
Dit is onaanvaarbaar dat die departement nou die belastingbetaler gebruik om in te staan vir 'n funksie waarin hy faal, en dit is om die ekonomie deur openbare ondernemings te probeer bestuur. Daarom sal die DA teen hierdie begrotingspos stem. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Dr S M VAN DYK: Chairperson, the DA is glad that the budget of the Department of Public Enterprises, in respect of transfers to public enterprises, decreased from R2 billion last year to a mere R138 million this year.
However, the DA is of the opinion that too much money is being transferred to public enterprises. Many of the public enterprises such as SAA, Denel and Eskom cannot get off the ground financially and, therefore, a saying has developed referring to public enterprises as "bakhandstaan ondernemings", as they are dependent on the taxpayer for financial survival.
One of the main reasons for this poor performance is, firstly, that the Department of Public Enterprises is unable to monitor the performance of public enterprises adequately. Secondly, this poor performance is also due to the department's failure to implement the state-owned management function successfully. This places enormous pressure on the taxpayer.
The DA has been saying for a long time that certain public enterprises, such as SAA, ought to be privatised in order to make them economically independent. Minister Manuel, certain public enterprises such as Denel, who is already bankrupt, ought to be liquidated. Other public enterprises such as the South African Forestry Company Ltd, Safcol, that can exist independently, ought to be sold.
It is unacceptable that the department now makes use of the taxpayer to take responsibility for a function in which he has failed, namely trying to manage the economy through public enterprises. Hence, the DA will not support this Budget Vote. Thank you.]