Chairperson, the ANC definitely supports this Budget Vote. The reasons advanced by the DA for objecting to this Budget Vote are very unclear, because the proceedings today - the public hearings that we convened today - have nothing to do with compliance enforcement by the department. They have nothing to do with this Budget Vote.
The public hearings today are an initial attempt to address serious issues in the country, such as the rising levels of poverty, unemployment and joblessness of our people in the country.
The country has been declared to be the world's wealthiest country in terms of mineral resources, yet the inequality levels are on the rise. Now we are looking at a solution, because it is not sustainable to have mineral wealth that is acknowledged worldwide, but, at the same time, have citizens of the country that continue to be poor. Therefore, let us not use different reasons.
We, in the portfolio committee, including the DA, acknowledge the fact that this department is new and that it has been established within the shortest space of time, to the extent that it had an unqualified audit report from the Auditor-General.
Therefore there are no substantial reasons for this Budget Vote not to be supported. We need to support it. We will come back to deliberate on the establishment of the state-owned mining company and, at that stage, the DA must raise its views. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]