Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers and hon members, South Africa is emerging from a recession in which approximately 1 million South Africans have lost their jobs. Economic growth in South Africa, during the last ten years, was basically jobless, and I think the hon Professor Ben Turok will agree with me on that.
The ANC's economic policy and its Budget in 2010-11 use the phrase, "a developmental state". I think they use it very extensively. They also use "a paradigm of change", and I quote: ... a new growth path that will result in the eradication of widespread poverty and the present unacceptable levels of unemployment.
Whether it would happen under the present economic policy of the ANC is questionable. What is of significance, however, is that this particular Bill identifies the following five policy priorities of government, namely job creation and infrastructure, which I think is very important; education and skills development; improving health care services; rural development; and justice and crime prevention.
The DA is a party for all the people. One of our core principles is to establish an open society where all people, irrespective of race, colour or gender, have equal access to opportunities. What South Africa needs at this moment, more than ever before, is a public sector that is able to solve the following priorities; and allow me to start with education.
The national Department of Education is responsible for policy development, co-ordination, monitoring, and evaluation. The provincial departments of education are responsible for the actual implementation of programmes in schools. In a submission to the Standing Committee on Appropriations, the Human Sciences Research Council, HSRC, states that current research indicates that cognitive performance at an early age of six years can predict later performance, especially in mathematics. Whether it actually happens is debatable.
Strong, quality mother-tongue development is essential for literacy, academic language, numeracy and other skills. Whether this is actually occurring too is also questionable.
It also indicates high volatility amongst the youth-learner aspirations that is failing to translate into student enrolments and high volatility amongst the youth-learner aspirations failing to translate into skilled enrolments. This was taken from what the HSRC said to us in the committee.
What this in essence means is that the current education system does not provide the adequate skills required in the labour market. It is estimated by the HSRC that before the present economic downturn, there were about 2,5 million people aged between 15 and 24 years who were out of work and not studying. It is my contention that this problem is now considerably worse.
The Standing Committee on Appropriations had a hearing on the Expanded Public Works Programme. What emerged during the hearing is that some government departments have not yet implemented clear financial control reporting; and the underspending in respect of the Expanded Public Works Programme incentive hampers the national goal of job creation. And this was crystal clear. Another question that remains is whether there is adequate communication between national, provincial and local spheres of government. All indications are that there is room for improvement, but whether the political will exists is questionable, if the lack of service delivery that exists at local level is taken into account.
The DA is of the opinion that the commitment to maintain and to create new infrastructure is essential. A thorough review of the capital expenditure and operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises is required. It is of national importance. It is not acceptable for ordinary taxpayers, who already carry a heavy tax burden, to subsidise nonprofitable state-owned enterprises. Privatisation of these entities is inevitable if we want our manufacturing sector to grow and to compete in global markets.
The cost of doing business in South Africa is still too high. The DA therefore urges government to reduce the red tape.
The DA welcomes the additional spending in this Bill on rural development. More than 40% of the total population in South Africa lives in rural areas. What is of concern, however, is that the present HSRC research indicates that only 10% of this population is economically active in organised agricultural production in these particular areas.
According to the 2010-11 Budget, spending on rural development will increase from R6 billion to R8 billion by the year 2012-13. The department also identified a number of priorities, for example, water management, agricultural support, and extension for both household and commercial farming. Rural development requires a holistic approach, and it is critical that the private sector, the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Water and Environmental Affairs; Transport; Public Works; and Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and other entities become involved in rural development.
The DA also urges the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform not to deviate from accepted international economic principles that relate to private property sales. The willing seller, willing buyer principle remains in force. We cannot afford another Zimbabwe. Our economy is vulnerable; we are not yet out of the woods. Only 12 million South Africans are employed, of which only 5,3 million actually pay income tax, whilst between 12 and 13 million people still depend upon social grants.
The portfolio committee took note of the submission by the Public Service Commission that the Department of Police does not comply with the Public Service Act that states that the suspension process should take 60 days. It took them about 80 days to suspend something like 650 of their members.
The result of this was that the department lost R5,4 million from suspensions with pay. What is further of concern is that this department has lost R102 million to financial misconduct, and only 61% of this particular total was recovered. This is clearly not acceptable. The DA urges the hon Minister of Police to institute preventative measures to rectify the financial misconduct in his department.
Violent crime and corruption threaten the economic and social future of all South Africans. Statistics released by the SAPS for April 2008 until March 2009 puts South Africa's murder rate ... [Time expired.] I thank you, Madam. [Applause.]