Hon Chairperson; hon Minister Radebe; hon Deputy Minister Manamela; all members of the executive present here; chairperson of the portfolio committee; the Statistician-General, Mr Pali Lehohla; hon members and comrades, good afternoon.
It is an honour for me to deliver my maiden input to this august House, but more importantly, we are debating the Budget Vote of one of the important institutions of our democratic state also in the month in which we celebrate the life of our own global icon, Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. [Interjections.]
Let me take this opportunity to wish all Cancerians a happy birth month - that includes me. [Applause.] I am mandated by the ANC to focus on Budget Vote No 13, Statistics SA. This year, on 27 April, we marked the end of the beginning and the end of 20 years of freedom.
This year our democratic government laid a firm foundation for the socioeconomic and political transformation of our country. In the main, our democratic government transformed all state institutions and agencies to be in line with the ethos of our progressive Constitution.
The mandate that Statistics SA carries is to advance the production, dissemination, use and co-ordination of official and other statistics to assist organs of state, businesses, other organisations and the public in planning, monitoring, and decision-making.
The Act also requires that Statistics SA co-ordinates statistical production among organs of state in line with the purpose of official statistics and statistical principles.
We have since characterised the beginning period as a radical second phase of the transition. To effect this transition, the Presidency has developed an overarching National Development Plan, NDP, which government and the ANC has adopted. The plan takes a broader view and makes a thorough diagnosis of our challenges and sets in place programmes to mitigate our challenges, thereby gearing our country into a better future, where a better life for all shall indeed be a reality. [Interjections.]
The National Development Plan aims to contribute to the developmental and transformational processes to overcome social and economic challenges such as inequality, poverty and unemployment.
Statistics SA works with all relevant stakeholders, provides accurate and quality statistical information on economic, demographic, social and environmental factors, which direct and assist the facilitation and implementation of the NDP.
The National Development Plan: Vision for 2030 findings on growth, incomes, levels of competition for goods and services, the number of work seekers and savings and skills profiles have all been available as a direct result of information supplied by Statistics SA.
This analysis provided by Statistics SA in the crafting of the National Development Plan informs sectors in the economy on how to create a deeper understanding not only of their own sector, but also of the broader economy, its structure and composition in order to bring about economic development and transformation of the economy.
Any development plan, and in particular, a long-term development plan, must be based on the balance of evidence that guides analysis, generates knowledge, facilitates understanding and supports business and political decisions that have to be taken. [Interjections.]