Presidency Budget speech & responses by ANC, DA and IFP

President Jacob Zuma gave his budget vote speech on the 4 May 2016

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Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Deputy President, Deputy Speaker,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable Members,
Special guests,
Fellow South Africans,
Honourable Speaker,

Allow me to express my gratitude for the opportunity to present the Presidency Budget Vote for the 2016/2017 financial year.

A few days ago, we celebrated the twenty-second International Workers Day in a liberated and democratic South Africa.

This year we also mark the 70th anniversary of the historic 1946 black mineworkers strike in the Witwatersrand, in which workers demanded higher wages of ten shillings a day.

During that strike, the President of the African Mine Workers' Union, JB Marks said to the workers:

‘You are challenging the very basis of the cheap labour system, and must be ready to sacrifice in the struggle for the right to live as human beings".

We agree with uncle JB Marks that the workers and the poor must enjoy the right to live as human beings in the land of their birth. They earned this right through a relentless struggle for freedom.

We have come a long way since then. The rights of workers are now enshrined in the constitution. The pro-poor government policies that we have implemented since 1994 continue to help improve the lives of workers and the poor.

The improvement in the quality of life is the reason why thousands of our people were celebrating in Giyani and all over the country on Wednesday last week, during the national Freedom Day.

Njengohulumeni, siyaqhubeka nomsebenzi wokwenza iNingizimu Africa ibengcono. Sikhuluma nje, isingcono kakhulu.

Impilo yabasebenzi nabampofu iyathuthuka njalo ngenxa yemisebenzi kahulumeni. Abantu sebenezindlu, bathola izibonelelo zezingane nabadala, izikole ezinhle, imitholampilo (amakliniki) nokuningi.

Kodwa-ke, siyazi ukuthi asikakaqedi. Yinde lendlela esiyihambayo, eya kwi-Ningizimu Afrika lapho bonke abantu beyohlala banethezeke.

Umsebenzi wehhovisi likaMongameli ukuhola iminyango kahulumeni nezwe lonke ukuze siyihambe kahle lendlela eya empilweni engcono kubobonke abantu, ikakhulukazi abasebenzi nabampofu.

The Presidency, as the nerve centre of government, continues to lead government on this journey to a better life for all, especially for the poor and the working class.

The better life means that we must change the fortunes of farm workers so that their children can stand a better chance of becoming farm owners.

We are educating the children of peasants who did not spend a single day at school, so that their children can become medical doctors, lawyers, captains of industry or rocket scientists.

This is the South Africa we are building, brick by brick.

Honourable Speaker,

We are building a better life for our people during a gloomy global economic climate. We discussed these difficulties and our response to them in the State of the Nation Address in February and also in the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance.

We have not sat idly since then waiting for the storm to pass.

We have taken concrete measures to reduce the negative impact of the global economic downturn on our economy, and to prepare for robust growth when the economic cycle turns positive.

We are also working hard to remove domestic impediments to growth.

A key positive attribute for the country at this time, is that Government and business are working together, more than any other time, to find ways of re-igniting growth.

Some key action points were identified at the ground breaking meeting we held with CEOs of key companies here in Cape Town just before the State of the Nation Address in February.

I asked the Minister of Finance and Mr Jabu Mabuza, the chairperson of Telkom and President of Business Unity SA to lead the government and business teams in finding solutions.

I will convene a report back meeting soon for us to take stock of progress made.

I will also convene a high level meeting with labour soon as well, to discuss the economic challenges and solutions so that we can all move together, in building a better life for all. We postponed two meetings recently due to clashing schedules.

Honourable Speaker,

As part of efforts to reignite growth and build a better life for all, we have also been vigorously implementing the Nine Point Plan that I announced in the State of the Nation Address last year.

Energy is high up on the agenda. During last year’s Presidency Budget Vote debate our country was facing an acute energy challenge. We have made remarkable progress since then.

Recently, the Chief Executive Officer of Eskom, Mr Brian Molefe, announced that in five years’ time South Africa will have surplus electricity. The Minister of Public Enterprises has also announced that Unit 3 of Ingula power plant was successfully synchronised to the grid on the 6th March this year.

This means that an additional three hundred and thirty megawatts of electricity will soon be added to the grid. 

Most importantly, there has been no load shedding for close to a year now. It is clear that the decisions and steps we took are beginning to bear fruit.

The Department of Energy is also finalising the appointment the country’s first Independent Power Producer for coal. The process to procure a gas independent power producer is also underway.

The Energy Security Cabinet Sub-Committee, which I announced during the 2014/2015 Presidency Budget Vote, is overseeing the development of a sustainable energy mix, to ensure that the gains we are making are sustainable.

Honourable Speaker,

We are also using infrastructure as a key instrument of creating jobs and to build a better life for all.

Through the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, we have made tremendous strides in fast tracking infrastructure across the country.

In the past year, we can count the building of one hundred and sixty new schools, twenty nine new clinics, the connection of two hundred and forty five thousand houses to electricity and building close to one hundred and fifty thousand new houses. The construction of three universities, 12 technical colleges as well as courts is on-going.

Siyaqhuba, asimanga! Asidlali!

The construction of economic infrastructure is also continuing as we deliver rail, road, dams, bus rapid transit systems, refurbishing  ports, building boats and also the three new power stations.

Indeed, South Africa is a nation at work, with government leading the way, in building a better life for all.

Honourable Speaker,

In the State of the Nation Address I announced reforms that would be undertaken to transform State Owned Companies, enable them to contribute better to the goals of the National Development Plan.

An inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Deputy President, is overseeing the process. 

The July Cabinet Lekgotla will consider and approve some of the approaches for implementation.

Honourable Speaker,

Our Nine Point Plan to reignite growth also includes the implementation of Operation Phakisa, the Big Fast Results Methodology that we learned from the Malaysians.

We launched Operation Phakisa   in the Oceans Economy in Durban in 2014, and it was followed by Phakisa projects on the Ideal Clinic and basic education, focusing on information and communication technologies. 

Next to be launched will be Phakisa Mining and preliminary work has begun in this regard.

Honourable Speaker

Operation Phakisa truly re-ignites growth as is evident in the ocean economy. In less than two years we have invested billions of rand on infrastructure development.

Transnet’s National Ports Authority has allocated R7 billion for building port infrastructure.

Investments in boatbuilding and a fuel storage facility have been committed in the Port of Cape Town amounting to about Three Point Six Billion Rand. 

An amount of Eighty Million Rand has also been allocated for the rehabilitation and maintenance of proclaimed fishing harbours in Gansbaai, Saldanha Bay, Struisbaai, Gordons Bay and Lamberts Bay. 

The establishment of three new harbours in the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will provide opportunities for local and rural economic development.

On Phakisa education, more than twenty two thousand schools had received electronic Administration infrastructure by the end of 2014/15 financial year.

More than one thousand five hundred schools were provided with connectivity through the Universal Service and Access Obligation, hence benefiting more than a million learners nationally.

We are building a better life for our school children, with this access to technology, Honourable Speaker.

Minister Radebe is responsible for the overall management of the Phakisa delivery methodology as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of this innovative programme in the Presidency.

Honourable Speaker,

Resolving workplace conflict and promoting labour stability is one of the key priorities of government as we work towards inclusive growth.

Under the stewardship of the Deputy President, work is also underway at NEDLAC to agree on a framework for speedy labour dispute resolution, and also to finalise the level of the National Minimum wage.

Honourable Speaker

A key instrument of ensuring wider societal participation in building a better life, is through the Presidential Working Groups.

The Presidency convened several meetings of different Working Groups in the last financial year.

These include the Presidential Business Working Group, the Presidential Youth Working Group, the Presidential Working Group on Disability and the National Consultative Mining Forum.

We also hosted a crucial meeting with organisations representing black professionals, which will be institutionalised into a working group as well.

Honourable Speaker,

Growing up in a free South Africa, should enable our youth to pursue their dreams and undertake any career path – as artisans, scientists, business leaders, lawyers or artists.

In this regard, we shall not rest, for as long as some of our youth still sit in street corners with no jobs and no skills to offer.

The public employment programme is led at a high level in the Presidency, as the Deputy President is the convenor of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Public Employment.

We also prioritise skills development. In this regard, the Deputy President chairs the Human Resource Development Council.

On youth in particular, Deputy Minister Manamela leads a committee of Deputy Ministers who form the backbone of the Presidential Youth Working Group.

Several steps have been taken to implement the decisions of the Working Group, which are aligned with the National Youth Policy 2020. Government has also taken concrete and direct steps to encourage youth employment and training through public employment programmes.

An example is the War on Water Leaks programme of the Department of Water and Sanitation which will draw fifteen thousand young people to be trained and employed as plumbers, artisans and water agents.

Every government department has been tasked with ensuring that its programme targets young people for development.

We have also urged municipalities to prioritise youth employment programmes.

Honourable Speaker,

On June 16 last year we launched the Mara Mentor youth online mentorship scheme, pairing young entrepreneurs with CEOs of companies.

We are encouraged by the uptake.

By April 2016, over three hundred and forty thousand young people in our country were being mentored by two hundred and sixty nine mentors.

We appeal to CEOs and other industry leaders to engage the National Youth Development Agency and avail themselves for this innovative online mentoring.

Let us all participate in building a better life for our aspirant young entrepreneurs and professionals.

Honourable Speaker,

The Status of Women in the South African Economy Report  produced by the Ministry in the Presidency responsible for Women has exposed gaps and shows that we must do much more to empower women in the economy.

In September 2015, I issued a directive to economic cluster departments to place the empowerment of women centrally in their plans and in particular, in the Nine Point Plan to further grow the economy.

Progress is being made. The departments of Human Settlements, Public Works and Small Business Development are utilising the approach of set-asides to enhance women’s empowerment. 

Women contractors were allocated over three billion rand of the Human Settlements Development Grant for the 2014/2015 financial year alone.

This allocation was shared by over one hundred and twelve female-owned enterprises.

Indeed, we are building a better life for all, especially women, during this 60th anniversary of the women’s march to the Union Buildings.

Minister Susan Shabangu will elaborate further on our programmes directed at women’s advancement and empowerment.

Compatriots,

The Presidency also coordinates government’s work through statutory bodies.

The Presidential Coordinating Council is the President’s statutory meeting with Premiers and the South African Local Government Association, in order to promote sound intergovernmental relations between the three spheres of government.

Over the past year, the PCC has focused on the implementation of the Back to Basics local government revitalisation programme.

To complement the Back to Basics Programme, the PCC is also considering the provincial integrated service delivery models such as the KwaZulu-Natal Province’s Operation Sukuma Sakhe Programme, Free State’s Operation Hlasela and North West’s Setsokotsane Programme.

This is done to encourage provinces to intensify these models and to share best practices.

The PCC also continues to monitor the resolution of cases and incidents reported through the Presidential Hotline, in order to promote open, transparent and responsive government and to put people first.

The President’s Council has also been a useful platform of processing matters from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration led by Minister Radebe.

The premiers and mayors discussed and agreed on the proposed approaches to deal with the identified shortcomings and challenges relating to border controls and the inflow of migrants into the country.

Some of these challenges came into sharp focus last year during the tragic and unacceptable attacks on foreign nationals. 

Compatriots, as we celebrate Africa Month, we reiterate that we are one people, we are all Africans. Any challenges that may arise must be resolved peacefully.

Honourable Speaker,

Economic transformation remains pivotal to ensuring a better life for all. In this regard, Government values the contribution of the Presidential Black Economic Empowerment Advisory Council.

Council members are drawn from organized labour, the private sector, professional associations, community-based organisations and academic institutions. 

The Council is currently focusing its work on very important areas.

These include ensuring that there is alignment between broad-based black economic empowerment and the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act.

The Advisory Council is also looking at creating partnerships between organs of state and the private sector, as well as strengthening programmes geared towards the revitalisation of the township economy and rural development.

We also appreciate the work of the National Orders Advisory Council.

We congratulate all South Africans and foreign dignitaries who were honoured on the 28th of April with various National Orders.

Honourable Speaker,

Government works better when it works closely with the people.

In this regard, the Presidency runs a monitoring programme called the Presidential Siyahlola Monitoring Programme and the Presidential Imbizo Programme.

We also run the War on Poverty Programme which is led by the Deputy President. Through these programmes we visit communities and are able to monitor the performance of government directly through talking to the citizens.

In the last financial year, we conducted Siyahlola visits to Eesterust in Pretoria east, the N2 Gateway housing settlement in kwa-Langa township in Cape Town, the Tshwane University of Technology in Soshanguve and Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation ensures that undertakings made at these important public engagements are implemented.

Honourable Speaker,

All the work we are talking about also requires planning. In September 2015, I appointed new commissioners to serve on the National Planning Commission following the successful conclusion of the term of office of the first group of commissioners.

We have specifically asked the commission to urgently focus on the economy.

Under the leadership of the chairperson, Minister Radebe the Commission is focusing particularly on speeding up economic recovery, growth and transformation, infrastructure in particular water planning, energy, transport, improving food security, easing the cost of living for households as well as enhancing the capacity and governance of state institutions.

Work has begun in each of these areas and the commission will report to the nation periodically on progress.

Honourable Speaker

The month of May is Africa Month, and it is celebrated under the theme Building a Better Africa and a Better World.

The highlights of Africa Month will be the celebration of the centenary of the University of Fort Hare on the 20th of May in Alice.

On Africa Day, 25 May, we will reflect on African unity and progress in a gathering with ambassadors and high commissioners in Pretoria.

As we celebrate Africa month we will be enjoying the work of our performing artists and various other creative industry specialists.

The Presidency has made support to our artists a special project.

The Presidential Deputy Ministers’ Task Team for Creative Industries, led by Deputy Minister Manamela is mandated to promote a better business environment for artists and other practitioners across the broad spectrum of the creative industry.

Progress is being made.

The Department of Trade and Industry has established the Black Emerging Filmmakers Fund which aims to assist in bridging the inequality gap for filmmakers in South Africa.

In addition, the department will, in the next few months, place two Bills, the Protection of Intellectual Property Bill and the Performer’s Rights Protection Bill before Parliament.

These bills will, among others, improve the royalty collection, promote fair compensation for the re-use of works and regulate local content. The task team is also looking at all available legislation to tackle the scourge of piracy, which is causing untold financial harm to our artists.

The Task Team is also working closely with the National Film and Video Foundation to ensure that better structures and systems are put in place to make the South African film industry a global competitor, while telling honest South African stories that are in line with our values as a nation.

These are stories that drive social cohesion and our national identity.

The long standing dispute on needletime payment for musicians has finally been resolved. The task team has met with the various collecting societies together with the SABC, to develop a process that will lead to the full payment of all outstanding monies to the relevant beneficiaries.

The public broadcaster will also be engaging local television content producers on the way forward, with regards to new content commissioning.

We will continue supporting our artists so that they can continue promoting the arts, culture and heritage of our country.

We are building a better life for our artists.

Compatriots

We pride ourselves on our ability to attract the world to visit our country.

Over thirteen thousand international delegates are expected to descend on South Africa in July for the International AIDS Conference in Durban.

Besides the tourism opportunities presented by our hosting of this conference, South Africa will use this opportunity to mark the remarkable progress we have made in fighting the AIDS epidemic since 2009. 

The Deputy President chairs the South African National AIDS Council and will speak further on our interventions in this regard.

In September, South Africa will host the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Johannesburg. 

The conferences are an important marketing opportunity for our country and provide an opportunity for our international marketing agency, Brand South Africa to further promote our country abroad.

We recently appointed new trustees for the Brand South Africa Trust last month.

We thank the former Trustees for their contribution and look forward to working with the new Trust in the task of promoting South Africa.

Honourable Speaker,
 
We continue to contribute in various ways to building a better Africa and a better world through participation in various multilateral forums.
 
Through the African Union Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative, regional and cross-border infrastructure is being developed to facilitate trade and investment.
 
At a global level, South Africa participates actively in the work and meetings of the G20. South Africa is also the Co-chair of the G20 Development Working Group and has consistently promoted the mainstreaming of the development agenda in its engagements within the G20.
 
In this regard, South Africa supports the Chinese Presidency’s overall theme of working Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy for 2016. 
 
The 8th BRICS Summit will take place in India in October 2016.   We continue to support the coming into operation of the BRICS New Development Bank, including by hosting the African Regional Centre in Johannesburg.
The Bank recently approved a renewable energy project for South Africa to the value of 180 million US dollars.
 
Honourable Speaker,

From 18 April until 21 April 2016, I visited Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland and will also visit Lesotho to discuss South Africa’s perspective on the Southern African Customs Union.

Honourable Speaker

We will continue with various bilateral engagements as well, with countries on the continent and beyond, as we pursue our goals of building a better life for all in our country, and contributing to building a better Africa and a better world.

As I conclude, allow me, Honourable Speaker, to express our gratitude to millions of South Africans who registered to vote during the two windows for registration that were opened by the IEC, especially the youth.

The next step now is for South Africans to go out in their millions to exercise their democratic right to elect public representatives of their choice on 3 August 2016.

Honourable Speaker,

Let me take this opportunity to thank the Deputy President, the two Ministers and the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for their support.

I also appreciate the contribution and hard work of the Director-General, Dr Cassius Lubisi, the Chief Operations Officer, Ms Lakela Kaunda, the presidential advisors, senior management and all staff in the Presidency.

We are also grateful to members of the working groups, advisory councils and all other institutions and stakeholders that support the work of the Presidency.

It is my privilege, Honourable Speaker, to commend Budget Vote 1 to the House.

I thank you.

 

Address by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa during Presidency Budget Vote, National Assembly

Madam Speaker,
President Jacob Zuma,
Honourable Members,
Distinguished Guests,

It is more than 50 years since Kwame Nkrumah addressed the inaugural conference of the Organisation of African Unity and issued a clarion call for a united Africa.

He declared:

"So many blessings must flow from our unity;
so many disasters must follow on our continued disunity.”

Three weeks from today, we in this House will join Africa`s 1.2 billion citizens across 54 countries in observing Africa Day on a continent in which a great many blessings have indeed flowed since the OAU was established in 1963.

At this moment, in this country, President Nkrumah`s words have never seemed more appropriate.

As we strive to overcome the dreadful legacy of our past - as we work, under difficult conditions, to grow the economy and create jobs - we must reflect on the many blessings that will surely flow from our unity.

We must reflect too, as elected leaders of our people, on the consequences of disunity.

It is only when we work together - in a concerted, coordinated effort - that we will overcome the severe economic challenges of the present.

Only by working together, will we be able to end poverty and reduce inequality, and create work and opportunities for all.

Working together, will we be able to change South Africa for the better.

Since 1994, we have sought to forge a South Africa that is stable, equal and prosperous from the ruins of racial division, deprivation and underdevelopment.

The story of the last 22 years is a story of extraordinary achievement.

It is decidedly a multifaceted account of our nation`s modern history.

It is a story of new homes, new schools, newly piped water, new sanitation, new educational opportunities and new social support processes and opportunities for the most vulnerable South Africans.

It is a story of new factories, new technologies, new roads, new ports, new communications infrastructure and new markets for South African goods and services.

This story comes with impressive statistics - often counted in millions and hundreds of thousands - that show the transformation that has unfolded in this country since 1994.

But, ultimately, this is a story of new and re-shaped lives, new hopes, new dreams, new opportunities and new adventures for millions of our people.

It is a story of a new South African.

We are constantly reshaping South Africa`s social and economic landscape for the benefit of all.

And yet our story is far from complete; our mission far from realised.

Despite great social and economic progress, too many of our people still live in poverty.

Although we have massively expanded access to basic needs, too many of our people still need jobs, quality education, houses, water and electricity.

This story is being written by millions of ordinary South Africans who are working together, with government and with many social partners, to better their own lives.

In doing so, they are giving meaning to the fundamental declaration that the people shall govern!

As the father of our nation Nelson Mandela said, our people must be the agents of their own liberation.

This they do more effectively when they work with government and other social partners.

It is the responsibility of the Presidency, through its position at the apex of government, to see that all South Africans have the means to achieve their potential.

It is the responsibility of the Presidency - through the institutions of the state, working with social partners, and in concert with the people - to ensure that South Africa continues to move forward.

Agbare Speaker/Voorsitter,

Een van die bewyse van hoe Suid-Afrika vooruit beweeg het, het my `n paar dae gelede opgeval tydens my besoek aan die Noord-Kaap, waar ek Mevrou Dineo Bushwane van Kuruman ontmoet het.

Dineo Bushwane is deel van die `Rooting Out The Dust`-program in Kuruman.

Dit is `n projek van die Noord-Kaap-regering waar `n klein aantal inwoners stene lê om stofstrate te vervang in Kuruman en ander dorpe.

Huna makhulu na makhulu a vhathu vhanzhi hafha Afrika Tshipembe vhane vha khou wana mishumo ya tshifhinga tshine ha langanwa ngatsho.

Heyi ndi mishumo ya EPWP.

Vhari vha tshi wana heyi mishumo vha gudiswa vhukoni ha zwithu zwindzhi.

Havho vhathu vhane vha ita heyo mishumo vha khou thusa u fhata zwifhato zwa vhudi nga mandesa zwine zwa thusa uri vhutshilo ha vhathu vha Afrika Tshipembe vhu vhe khwine.

Heyi mishumo vha dzhena khayo naho miholo ine vha iwana i mituku.

Zwivhuya zwine vha zwi wana kha iyi mishumo ndi u gudiswa vhukoni ha minwe mishumo ine vha nga kona u ita mishumo heyi ya EPWP yo no fhela.

Ndo ri ndo dalela ngei Kuruman nda tangana na vhaswa na vhafumakadzi vhane vha khou foroma zwidina.

Vhari u fhedza vha ita dzindila dza zwidina dzo nakaha nga maanda.

Ndo wana vhe vhathu vhane vha di hudza nga maanda kha lushaka lwavho.

Ndo ri u vhona ndila ine vha khou shuma ngayo na dakalo line vha vha nalo kha mushumo wavho nda vhona zwofanela uri rothe ri vha thoniphe.

Vho Buswane ndi munwe wa vhathu vhane vha khou ita mishumo ine vhathu vhandzhi vha i sedzela fhasi fhedzi hu uri vha khou fhata lushaka lwa hashu. Ri vha bvulela munwadzi na hone ria a vha fhululedza.

Ndi vhone havha vhathu vhane vha khou fhata Afrika Tshipembe tshidina nga tshidina.

What struck me about Ms Bushwane was not only her dedication to a job that is physically demanding, but her determination to fully exploit the possibilities that this work opportunity has provided.

She has seen the potential in brick-making and seeks only the assistance of government and the private sector in acquiring more skills and equipment to start a business when the project ends.

Through this work opportunity, Dineo Bushwane supports her family.

Through her determination, and with the support of NSFAS, her son is now the first person in their family to study at a university.

Across the country, millions of people`s lives are changing as a new generation seizes opportunities that were denied to the generation before.

These are the active citizens of our land, who dream of a better life for themselves and their children.

These are the students who demand that fees must fall, because they desperately thirst for education and the change it can bring to their communities.

These are the communities who protest poor service delivery - and who do so peacefully and without damage to property - because they understand only too well the need for an engaged citizenry.

These are the people who want to get involved in finding solutions.

Dit is hoe Suid-Afrika vooruit beweeg, elke uur, elke dag, elke maand en elke jaar.

It is through partnership and collaboration that South Africa grows, develops and thrives.

It is through the unity that Nkrumah spoke about that we can build a winning nation.

As the Office of the Deputy President, we are involved in coordinating and guiding such partnerships as the Human Resource Development Council, the South African National Aids Council, deliberations in the National Economic Development and Labour Council and a range of inter-ministerial committees.

Honourable Members,

Ho isa mesebetsi ena pele re sebedisana le bo rakgwebo, le mekgatlo ya setshaba, le makala a fapaneng a mmuso ho thusa batsha hore ba fumane tsebo le thuso enepahetseng etla ba ntshetsang pele bokamosong ba bona.

Re ile ra tshwara ditshebeletso tse khethehileng mo ne re memme batsha ba balwang ka dikitikiti dibakeng tsena tse latelang - Ditsobotlo tikulohong ya Bokoni Bophirima; raya Ndwedwe tikolohong ya KZN.

Ra be releba Soshanguve le Soweto.

Ditshebeletso tsena di bula batsha dikelello, ihlile di bathusa ho ikgethela seo babatlang ho ithuta sona bokamosong ba bona.

We have forged partnerships with the private sector, civil society and government agencies to organise youth expos that promote youth development and career opportunities for young people.

These expos open young people`s eyes to the diverse opportunities that are available to them in a democratic South Africa.

We value these events as part of the Presidency`s public participation programme, which is a conscious campaign of interacting face-to-face with our citizens.

The eagerness with which learners queue up at information kiosks and the fearless confidence with which they share their dreams and concerns tells me our future is in safe hands.

There we meet people like Bontle Tshomela from Klipspruit West Secondary School.

Confident, dynamic and with big dreams, she appeals to us, as elected representatives, to help underperforming schools like hers - where parents show a lack of interest and where drug abuse is rife.

In the course of the work of the Human Resource Development Council, we meet Palesa Hlalele, a highly motivated 20-year-old at Ekurhuleni West TVET College who is studying mechanical engineering.

She tells us of her ambition, in this male-dominated field, to design, assemble, operate and maintain big earth-moving equipment.

Her story - of determination and sacrifice - reinforces the importance of the significant investment we are making in TVET colleges.

It reinforces the value of our TVET adoption programme, which establishes partnerships between companies and specific colleges to equip young people with the skills and experience they need to find employment and succeed in the workplace.

Re le mmuso re gatela pele. Re etsa mesebetsi e ntshetsang setshaba sa rona pele. Ka mantswe amang re re siya qhuba. Asijiki!

Honourable Members,

In his State of the Nation Address in February, President Jacob Zuma called on all sectors of society to work together to address the economic challenges we face.

He said:

"We cannot change the global economic conditions, but we can do a lot to change the local conditions.

"Let us work together to turn the situation around.”

We are encouraged by the seriousness with which our social partners have responded to this call.

Our engagements have been frank, constructive and practical.

The overriding concern of all our social partners is the creation of jobs and the growth of our economy.

This has been a central consideration in the deliberations in Nedlac on the introduction of a national minimum wage.

We are confident that we will soon be able to agree on a level at which the minimum wage should be set that will both improve the lives of the lowest paid workers in South Africa and support our job creation efforts.

Introducing a national minimum wage is a step towards restoring the dignity of workers of this country.

Honourable Members,

One area where social partnership has been extremely valuable - and arguably most successful - is in our effort to combat HIV and TB.

Working together, through SANAC and other structures, we continue to ensure that more and more people have access to life-saving treatment.

We have drastically reduced the levels of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and look forward to the day when no child in this country is born HIV-positive.

But we dare not be complacent.

That is why we have launched an ambitious programme to reduce new TB infections and to treat all those who need treatment.

The rate of new HIV infections among young women and girls is uncomfortably high.

During Youth Month, we will be launching a comprehensive campaign focusing on this vulnerable group.

We call on all sectors of society to join us in this campaign, understanding that the future of our nation`s youth depends on its success.

Let us build an AIDS free generation in our lifetime.

South Africa will host the International AIDS Conference in Durban in July, providing us with an opportunity to learn from the rest of the world and share our lessons with others.

Ending AIDS as a public health threat is in our hands.

Madam Speaker,

Central to the success of all our efforts is the deepening of our institutional capacity, as a state and as a country, to drive economic growth and social development.

We are therefore engaged in an extensive programme to strengthen and, where necessary, reform our state owned enterprises.

Under the guidance of an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Deputy President, we are working to stabilise those SOEs that are experiencing challenges.

We are working to strengthen transparency, accountability and good governance, and to ensure that these critical institutions are able to fulfil their economic and developmental mandates.

We are drawing lessons from both our successes and our shortcomings.

We are looking to the experience of other countries.

And we are learning from each other.

The Presidency is working across government and across spheres to institutionalise best-practice models to deliver services, fight hunger and create work opportunities.

Isifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natal senze uhlelo oluhle olibizwa nge Operation Sukuma Sakhe.

Lolu hlelo lwe OSS luhlonishwa umhlaba wonke ngendlela olukwazi ngayo ukulwa nendlala lube futhi lilwa nesifo sika gawulayo (HIV) kanye nokwakhiwa kwemisebenzi.

Imiphakathi ihlangana no Hhulumeni nabaholi bendabuko kuma War Rooms lapho behlela khona ukuletha izidingo kubantu.

Nezinye izifundazwe sezithathe lolu hlelo lwe OSS zenza ezabo izindlela ezisheshayo zokuthumela izidingo kubantu.

eGauteng kune Ntirhisano. eNorth West bane Setsokotsane. Iyaziwa iOperation Hlasela yase Free State. iOperation Balelapa eNorthern Cape ne Operation Vuka Sisebente eMpumalanga nazo ziyaziwa.

With the support of the Presidency, provinces are now sharing among themselves the lessons learnt from their respective initiatives.

Honourable Members,

The unity of purpose that we seek should start in this house.

It was President Nelson Mandela who said, shortly after the inauguration of our first democratically elected Parliament in 1994:

"Let us make sure we build a Parliament that unites our people”.

That should remain our overriding objective.

Loku hiri la ndlwini leyi ya Parliament swa endleka kuri hi hambana ka timhaka to tala.

Hi nga va hi hambana hi mavonelo eka swo tala  na hambi hi kuri tani hi fanele ku hanyisana kun`we ta ni hi vaaka tiko ra hina.

Hi fanele kuri hi tirha swin`we ku hluvukisa tiko ra hina na ku kurisa nhluvuko wa swa timali, ku endla ku ri ku va na minthiro na ku yisa tiko ra hina, a mahlweni.

Na hambi swi ri tano hi fanela ku ri hi khomana hi mavoko hi tirhela tiko ra hina ra Afrika Dzonga.

As the Leader of Government Business, it remains my wish that we foster working relations within Parliament that are based on mutual respect and trust and that put citizens first.

Sifanele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi le yiPalamente yabantu!

Size apha ukuzokwenza imithetho yokuphuhlisa ilizwe lethu!

Kunyanzelekile ukuba singayilibali leyonto.

It is precisely because of our ability as a nation to foster unity and promote democratic values that we continue to be seen as a global partner for peace and development.

Siyahlonitswa lilizwe lonke ngemisebenzi esiyenzayo ukwakha ubuhlobo nokuthula.

Honourable Members,

Since 1994, we have actively worked within the UN, the AU and SADC to promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and democracy.

We have done so to promote the idea of a better South Africa in a better Africa and a better world.

Working within the framework of responsibilities assigned to us by SADC, we continue to discharge our mandate to help secure peace and security within the Kingdom of Lesotho.

As the Special Envoy of President Zuma to South Sudan, we have worked alongside the regional leadership and AU structures to end the internal strife in the Sudan People`s Liberation Movement.

The swearing in of the transitional government of national unity just a few days ago brings with it the promise of peace, stability and prosperity.

Madam Speaker,

The Office of the Deputy President has been given responsibility for a diverse range of strategic activities.

In performing these responsibilities, it contributes to the critical work of the Presidency in coordinating and driving fundamental social and economic transformation.

We do this through close collaboration with social partners and on-going engagement with communities.

In conclusion, I wish to thank President Jacob Zuma for entrusting me with this responsibility.

I am grateful to my colleagues in the Executive and to the Director-General, advisers and staff in The Presidency for their support and cooperation.

Honourable Members,

We are living in difficult and uncertain times.

It is therefore critical that we remain united in our efforts to strengthen the economy and improve the lives of our people.

This is a time to instil hope, not lose hope.

It is a time to shout less and share more.

It is a time to innovate, not inflame.

Ye ase nako ya go lahlegelwa ke tshepo.

Ke nako ya go fafatsa tshepo mo sechabeng.

Ke nako ya go se hlabe le?ata empa ya go fana dikgopolo t?e diswa t?e tse botse tse bohlale.

This is a time to do all we can to avoid the many disasters that would inevitably follow from disunity.

This is a time to unite.

Nyalo sisikhatsi sokutsi sibe munye si sebentisane sibe imbumbe.

Loku kutawu senta ukutsi sibe sive le somelele nale sitawu phumelela.

We should benefit from the many blessings that must flow from unity.

I thank you, Honourable Members.
__________________________________________________

Responses

Under the Zuma Administration all the indices say he should resign: Sejamothopo Motau DA Shadow Minister for the Presidency

Honourable Speaker

Mr Jacob Zuma should have announced his resignation from office on 1 April 2016 following the devastating Constitutional Court judgement handed down against him regarding “Nkandlagate” on 31 March 2016.

Sadly, he did not resign.

Instead, it being April Fools Day, Mr Zuma defiantly showed the political middle finger to the Supreme Law of the Land, the Constitution, and the Constitutional Court that had found against him.

To add insult to contempt, Mr Zuma then proffered his sham apology, thus treating the Constitutional Court Justices and the citizens of this country as idiots.

Mr Zuma needs to know that the people of this country are not fools. We are not cast in his mould.

To compound this shameless arrogance, a few days later on 5 April 2016, 233 members of Mr Zuma’s party in this Parliament, arrogantly voted against a Democratic Alliance motion to have Mr Zuma impeached.

As we speak, those who have made it their mission to protect and defend Mr Zuma at every turn, variously described as Mr Zuma’s praise-singers, “Zuma’s idiots” or “Zuma Zombies”, are rattling their sabres telling this country that Mr Zuma “is going nowhere”- in spite of the ConCourt judgement.

The fact that the ConCourt has found that Mr Zuma has violated the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa means absolutely nothing to these people.

This Parliament is now being asked to approve a budget of R491.8 million for the 2016/17 financial year, rising to R526.8 million by 2018/19 under Budget Vote 1: The Presidency.

The Budget also provides R3.3 million for the salary of Mr Zuma for this financial year, growing to R3.6 million by 2018/19. For Mr Ramaphosa the corresponding numbers are R2.8 million and R3.1 million.

Travel and subsistence will gobble up R53.3 million for 2016/17. Support services to Mr Zuma and Mr Ramaphosa will cost R118.1 million this financial year, growing to R121.5 million by 2018/19.

In the context of South Africa’s serious problems with poverty and unemployment, these are significantly huge costs for the Presidency’s salaries, travel and subsistence.

That is not all.

Meanwhile, the Presidency continues to pile up huge amounts in unauthorised expenditure.

Since Mr Zuma took office in 2009, the Presidency incurred unauthorised expenditure of more than R43 million, mostly in legal fees, by the end of the 2010/11 financial year.

The amount spent since then is still unknown.

Most of these millions of Rands can be booked as fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

The Presidency has yet to pick up the tab for the “Nkandlagate” litigation as ordered in the ConCourt judgement.

The “Spy tapes” litigation will also have to be paid for as per order of the High Court in Pretoria last Friday.

This is how the Sunday Independent put it last Sunday: “The toll has been enormous. Not only has Zuma fought this battle every inch of the way at taxpayers’ expense – retaining the services of his lawyer Michael Hulley – with the prosecuting authority doing the same, but they have now been ordered to pay towards the DA’s considerable legal expenses.”

The DA calls on Mr Zuma to stop wasting the nation’s money, accept the High Court’s judgement and explain himself before a court of this country.

Meanwhile, what has South Africa to show for these huge sums of money expended on Mr Zuma’s never ending court cases and to support his wasteful and lavish lifestyle?

When Mr Zuma makes monumental blunders that cost the country’s economy billions of Rand in lost asset value, as was the case when he fired former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, we are told to lump it, because it is his “presidential prerogative”.

Presidential prerogative cannot and must not be exercised to the detriment of the country’s economy and at the expense of the more than 8 million unemployed and millions more poor South Africans.

Prerogative is a privilege; it comes with responsibility and respect.

A day before Mr Zuma took his Oath of Office for the first time at the Union Buildings on 9 April 2009, the Dollar/Rand exchange rate was 1 US dollar to R8.45. One Euro was worth R11.33; one UK pound was R12.71; and One Botswana Pula equalled R0.8535.

Last night the corresponding values were: Rand/Dollar R14.62; Rand/Pound R21.28; Rand Euro R16.85. The Pula is now much stronger than the Rand.

Clearly, under Mr Zuma our Rand is relentlessly weakening against the other currencies. The country lives in fear of a possible sovereign ratings downgrade to junk status by the international rating agencies.

This means that South Africans are getting poorer on Mr Zuma’s watch.

Yet, this Parliament is being asked to vote for even more money than before for the Presidency.

Honourable Members, one of the most important jobs of the Presidency is to nurture and promote nation building, social cohesion and national identity.

However, under the Zuma Administration, all the indices in this regard are very discouraging.

When was the last time we heard of the Rainbow Nation of the people of South Africa?

This national project seems to have faltered.

Many white South Africans feel that they no longer have a home in the country. Black people continue to be called all sorts of dehumanising names.

In short, the nation building project which started with such great promise is a mess UNDER Zuma’s ANC.

According to Stats SA, 43 percent of households in Mpumalanga live in inadequate housing (that is, “mekhukhu” or shacks), the highest in the land; with the Eastern Cape at 40.3 percent and KwaZulu-Natal at 37.6 percent.

On the lower end of the scale, there is the Western Cape with 24.3 percent and the Northern Cape at 21.6 percent.

The situation seems to be getting worse as more people migrate to the urban areas.

Furthermore, Statistician-General, Padi Lehohla, has recently warned that the country faces a “cocktail of disasters” because of the very high numbers of unemployed black and coloured young people.

Where are the jobs you promised the nation, Mr Zuma?

Xenophobia remains a festering sore in our social and economic fabric. Service delivery protests have become endemic and violent. Corruption is rampant in the public sector.

The official commemorations of our national days like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day and others have degenerated into ANC rallies, with many South Africans feeling alienated – and staying away.

To compound these concerns, this Parliament has yet to establish a portfolio committee to exercise oversight over Mr Zuma and the Mr Ramaphosa to account to Parliament and the nation for the vast amount of money spent on The Presidency.

Regrettably, previous DA calls for a portfolio committee for the Presidency have fallen on deaf ears.

For instance, how much of the hefty travel budget ends up as fruitless and wasteful expenditure because the money spent has not brought any tangible dividend to the country?

Honourable Members, we do not know because this Parliament has put the Presidency beyond its portfolio committee oversight mechanism.

Honourable Speaker, I would now like to turn to the so-called apology by Mr Zuma regarding the Nkandla scandal, the Public Protector’s remedial action and the related ConCourt judgement.

In his statement to the nation on 1 April 2016, Mr Zuma used the word “apologise” only once. The rest was fudge, self-justification or worse.

I quote: “The matter has caused a lot of frustration and confusion, for which I apologise on my behalf and on behalf of government.”

There has indeed been lots of frustration regarding this matter. However, any confusion was concocted by Mr Zuma and his advisors for their own ends.

There was never any confusion on the part of the Public Protector regarding the remedial action or on the part of the Democratic Alliance regarding the responsibility of Mr Zuma on the matter.

During the State of the Nation debate on 19 June 2014, I made the following point from this podium. During the State of the Nation Debate on 19 February 2013, I urged Mr Zuma to “show leadership and take ownership of the Nkandla Scandal because no amount of talk or spin would explain the scandal away….There is no way in which Mr Zuma can distance himself from the Nkandla scandal: THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU, Mr Zuma!”

And what was Mr Zuma’s response? He laughed at us and called us howlers. Now the chickens have come home to roost.

Instead of attempting an egg-dance on 1 April 2016, Mr Zuma should have said to the nation:

“Fellow South Africans, I apologise for failing to comply with the remedial action taken against me by the Public Protector;

I apologise for failing to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land;

I apologise for violating my Oath of Office;

I apologise for treating you like fools;

I am sorry, I resign. Goodnight!”

That would have been a real apology; but that takes true leadership; something that Mr Zuma does not seem to have.

 

This man is a thief: Mmusi Maimane Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance

The following speech was delivered, in the National Assembly, by the DA Leader during Budget Vote 1: The Presidency.

Madam Speaker
Honourable Members
Good afternoon
Goeie middag
Bagaetsho
Dumelang

We stand here today to debate the budget for the Presidency.

This is an important debate because it will tell the people of South Africa how their money is abused to keep an accused criminal in his job.

And when we vote on the budget, the people of this country will see, once again, that Mr Zuma and today’s ANC are one and the same.

They will see, once again, how far this once mighty liberation movement has fallen.

They will see how the ANC protects its looter-in-chief. And make no mistake, Madam Speaker, this man stole from all of us.

Those aren’t just my words. The Constitutional Court judgment handed down in January last year, called it “fair comment” to say Jacob Zuma stole your money.

53 years ago, one of the ANC’s greatest leaders was known as ‘Accused number 1’.

Nelson Mandela was ‘Accused number 1’ because his name was first on the charge sheet at the Rivonia trial.

In the context of the struggle against apartheid, this was a badge of honour.

Today, the ANC is again led by ‘Accused number 1’. But this time, it has nothing to do with a noble and selfless struggle.

It is because Jacob Zuma is the biggest beneficiary of the R70 billion arms deal, and stands accused on 783 counts of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

In the context of the struggle to liberate our people from poverty, corruption is unforgivable. Because corruption makes poor people poorer.

You know, we have heard a lot recently about the influence of the Guptas on the Presidency.

And we’ve forgotten about a man by the name of Schabir Shaik – the original Gupta.

We’ve forgotten how Shaik solicited bribes for Jacob Zuma, how he wrote off debt for Jacob Zuma.

We’ve forgotten how Shaik was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption and three years for fraud for what the Judge Hilary Squires called a “mutually beneficial symbiosis” with Jacob Zuma.

The Appeals Court judge was less diplomatic when he called this symbiosis what it really was: “A sustained corrupt relationship”.

The only reason Mr Zuma is not yet in jail is because he has captured every state institution that has the power to put him there.

Even the medical parole system has been defrauded to hand Schabir Shaik his own ‘get out of jail free’ card.

For someone who was released from jail more than seven years ago to die a dignified death, he’s doing remarkably well.

In fact, his prognosis is so good, he has now applied for a presidential pardon from his old friend.

That is why, these days, Mr Shaik is doing more time at the Durban Country Club than at Durban’s Westville Prison.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, at the North Gauteng High Court, Mr Zuma lost the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

I do not say this lightly. But any man who abuses his power to manipulate the justice system to stay out of jail is not an innocent man.

If Mr Zuma is innocent, why has he spent the last eight years, four months and six days desperately fighting to avoid his day in court?

A man with nothing to hide would welcome his day in court. But Mr Zuma has plenty to hide, and will most likely appeal Friday’s High Court ruling, wasting even more taxpayers’ money.

In his judgment on Friday, Judge Ledwaba said that there was nothing on the Spy Tapes recordings that justified the dropping of the charges in 2009.

He said that the NPA Head at the time, Mokotedi Mpshe, had “ignored the importance of his oath of office” in withdrawing the charges, and that his decision was irrational.

He also said that Mpshe found himself “under pressure” to discontinue the prosecution against Mr Zuma.

Under pressure from whom exactly? I think we all know the answer.

It’s the same pressure that shut down the Scorpions, the best corruption busting unit this country has ever seen.

It’s the same pressure that saw the Scorpions replaced by the tame Hawks, headed up by a loyal cadre deployed to do the Mr Zuma’s dirty bidding.

It’s the same pressure that saw the compromised Nomgcobo Jiba parachuted in to the top of the NPA to pursue all the Mr Zuma’s enemies.

It’s the same pressure that produced the Seriti Commission whitewash report, exonerating Mr Zuma and his cronies from any wrongdoing in the Arms Deal scandal.

It’s the same pressure that gave us Police Minister Nathi Nhleko’s discredited Nkandla report, along with his embarrassing Fire Pool demonstration video.

All of it is pressure from Number One. Or should I say ‘Accused number 1’.

Honourable members, we are here today to vote on the President’s budget.

But how can we separate this budget allocation from the actions of ‘Accused number 1’?

No man with such a tainted record can possibly represent the office of the President of South Africa.

Because, above all, this position demands honesty and integrity. And after seven years in office, all we have seen from him are lies and deceit.

We cannot contemplate the allocation of public money to the Presidency until the Presidency is headed up by an honourable man.

Every cent of public money spent on his household, his spousal unit, his security, his travel, his home improvements and his legal defence is for this man’s enrichment.

We will not be complicit in this.

We cannot support a Presidency budget that saw R110 million wasted on an Arms Deal whitewash.

We cannot support a Presidency budget that has spent R45 million of public money – the equivalent of 375 RDP houses – on legal fees since 2009 to fight Mr Zuma’s battles in court.

We cannot support a Presidency budget when that president refuses to take responsibility for his actions.

Because this is a man whose answer to every single allegation is: “It wasn’t me.”

The Gupta landing at Waterkloof? It wasn’t me.

Al-Bashir’s escape? It wasn’t me.

The millions spent on Nkandla? It wasn’t me.

Failure to comply with the Public Protector’s report? It wasn’t me

A R4 billion luxury presidential jet? It wasn’t me

The push to sign off on a trillion Rand nuclear deal? It wasn’t me.

The Gupta brothers offering cabinet posts? It wasn’t me.

The crash of the Rand following Nenegate? It wasn’t me.

Nothing is ever Jacob Zuma. But he doesn’t fool anyone. Everybody knows: It was him.

And everybody knows that our country is going backwards under Zuma’s ANC.

Everybody knows that one in three South Africans can’t find work, and that our economy is expected to grow at just 0.6% this year.

Everybody knows that the education of poor, mainly black, children is getting worse.

Everybody knows that cities and towns governed by the ANC are in decline.

And everybody knows that the ANC will protect Jacob Zuma at all costs.

The ANC of Nelson Mandela is no more.

The leadership of this ANC has betrayed every member, every supporter and every citizen of this country.

No wonder the ANC cannot fill stadiums anymore.

The fact is, Madam Speaker, the ANC cannot be saved from itself. And the ANC cannot save South Africa.

That is why, in the coming years, we will sweep what President Mbeki called an “ignoble and corrupt parasite” from office.

We will put power back in the hands of the people of the country.

But, in the meantime, we have some unfinished business with ‘Accused number 1.

Mr Zuma, you say you want your day in court. Well, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.

The good news is that your day in court is fast approaching.

The bad news is that, when that day arrives, you are going to lose.

Just look at your track record in court up until now.

In this House, you have the ANC caucus to protect you. But out there, when you are up against an independent judiciary, the odds are stacked against you.

Out there, the Constitutional Court – the highest court in the land – wasn’t afraid to say that you had violated the Constitution and broken your oath of office.

Because out there in court, only one thing matters. And that is the truth.

And the truth is, Madam Speaker, this man is a thief.

I thank you.

Address by Honourable Jeff Radebe, Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Chairperson of the National Planning Commission on the occasion of The Presidency Budget Vote 2016


Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
President of the Republic of South Africa
Deputy President
Ministers and Deputy Ministers present
Honourable Members
Ladies and gentlemen

During the month of May every year, we celebrate Africa month. We draw inspiration from the progress Africa is making along our post-colonial development journey. We also use this opportunity to renew our commitment to work together to make the vision of a united Africa to become a reality.

The ANC-led government has been hard at work since we achieved freedom and established a constitutional democracy. We are making progress in building a capable and democratic developmental State, and are undertaking comprehensive interventions to radically alter the socio-economic reality of the majority of our people.

His Excellency, President Zuma has assigned to the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) using the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) for 2014-2019 as benchmark. In this, we collaborate with other roleplayers across society because we know that we can achieve more when we work together.

President Zuma has also assigned me the responsibility to chair a number of Inter-Ministerial Committees (IMCs) which provide political leadership to various critical and strategic matters and undertakings that require oversight at the highest level in Government. These include the IMCs on the Prevention and Combating of Corruption, the Revitalisation of Distressed Mining Communities, and the IMCs on Migration, Operation Phakisa, the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative, the centenary of Fort Hare University and the 40th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Student Uprisings.

Work is in progress in the fight against fraud and corruption, and to date a total of 203 corruption priority cases involving 1065 persons were investigated and 116 persons were convicted. Investigations in 11 cases are currently underway in relation to possible contraventions of the OECD Foreign Bribery Convention.

Freezing orders to the value of R601 million were obtained by the end of the 3rd Quarter of the 2015/16 financial year, bringing the cumulative total to R4.21 billion since 2009. Proceeds of crime and government losses to the value of close to R71 million were recovered by the end of the 3rd Quarter of the 2015/16 financial year, adding to a cumulative total of R1.96 billion since 2009.

The Specialised Commercial Crime Unit has made significant advances since 2012, securing the conviction of about 3 340 individuals for serious corruption and economic crimes. A total of 234 government officials were convicted for corruption-related offences from 2014/15 financial year to date.

The IMC on Distressed Mining Communities has overseen the construction of housing for Marikana mining workers, and has recently handed over the completed phase of the project to the Rustenburg Local Municipality.

Plans for the celebration of the Fort Hare Centenary, are at advanced stage, with the preparations being undertaken in partnership with the University's management and Council. The celebration of this historic event will take place in Alice on the 20th May 2016, with the participation by President Zuma who will deliver the keynote address.

The IMC on the 40th anniversary of the June 16 Student Uprisings has been engaged in preparations for the event, and the planned activities will be made public at the beginning of Youth Month on the 1st of June 2016.

I will give details on the achievements of the IMC on Operation Phakisa later.

Honourable President, Deputy President and Members

The mandate of the DPME is to track government's progress with service delivery, measure results objectively and ensure public accountability for performance. Evidence from our monitoring and evaluation work demonstrates that the country is making progress across all 14 outcomes. This includes improvement in access to, and quality of, basic education; health status; access to social grants; delivery of housing opportunities and basic services; and reduction in asset poverty levels.

Through our National Evaluation System, a total of 45 evaluations covering of R75 billions worth of government expenditure have been undertaken. This allows government to assess whether its investments are producing the desired outcomes.

Economic Performance

Addressing unemployment, poverty and inequality challenges remains a priority for government. These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that global economic recovery has remained slow following the financial and economic crises that date back nearly 10 years.

However, we must not lose sight of what we have achieved in a mere 22 years of our democracy. The economy enjoyed a real recovery in growth and investment in the post-1994 period with far more robust and stable growth than in the previous 30 years. From the outset, the main economic objectives of the democratic government have been job creation, the elimination of poverty and the reduction of inequality, while simultaneously maintaining investment and growth.
Since the dawn of democracy, employment (both formal and informal) has grown by around 5.6 million, or by 60 percent, much faster than previously. Massive investment by government in infrastructure delivery particularly in the last decade, has injected the much-needed impetus into our economy. The South African economy has remained resilient in confronting the many legacies left by apartheid despite the global economic crisis.

Going forward, we need to improve on our performance of the past 22 years. The NDP sets a high but absolutely necessary target of investment of at least 25% of GDP. Greater private sector investment is critical for higher growth, as the private sector accounts for nearly 80% of production and employment. Understanding this, government continues to engage with business leaders with a view to unlock private sector investment, build investor confidence, promote trust and seek long-term commitments to implementation of the NDP.

Progress with the Nine-Point Plan to turn around the economy

Government has developed and implemented a nine-point plan to improve the performance of the South African economy. We have made progress with the development of Agri-Parks to stimulate agricultural development in 44 districts throughout the country.

We have also introduced initiatives to support greater industrialisation which include (a) revising and strengthening industrial financing to boost employment and growth, (b) introducing the Black Industrialist programme to transform the manufacturing sector, and (c) promoting localisation through product designation.

As a result of government's effort to create a favourable investment climate, the economy has experienced significant new investments for locomotive production by General Electric with 70% or R35bn of the contract value for the 1,064 locomotives allocated to local manufacturing by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). The Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) has led to new investments by Goodyear (R670m), Volkswagen (R4.5bn), BMW (R6bn); and Beijing Auto Works (R12bn).

Honourable Members,

In terms of adding value to our mineral wealth, we have identified six value chains to support beneficiation programmes with specific interventions for each. They include: iron-ore and steel; polymers; titanium; platinum group metals; upstream mining inputs such as capital goods, machinery and equipment and the energy value chain.

Priority interventions to unlock the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises include working towards the implementation of a 30% set-aside policy through a public procurement process; supporting supplier development programmes to increase market access; and promoting greater access to financing. Infrastructure programmes that can support the growth of township and rural enterprises, and a concerted effort to reduce red tape for SMMEs, including a review of existing small business legislation, are among the interventions being undertaken.

Honourable Members,

President Zuma has alluded to the progress made in resolving our energy challenges. The completion early last year of Medupi Unit 6 means that it now supplies the full load of 800MW of power into the grid, the synchronisation of Ingula Power Plant to the grid as well as the expansion of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) are also key achievements. The Renewables Programme has unlocked private sector investment in electricity generation, from a zero base to R192 billion in four years.

Chairperson,

Other economy-wide interventions Government is undertaking to support growth and employment include improving regulatory efficiency and turnaround times to support investment through a One Stop Shop facility.

As noted in President Zuma's speech, infrastructure development is a critical lever to support overall economic growth and transformation. In this regard, government is striving to accelerate the use of ICTs and broadband; attending to the challenge of scarce water resources; supporting the development of adequate transport infrastructure; and using research, development and innovation to enhance the productivity of priority sectors.

Key successes of Operation Phakisa

Honourable Members, as President Zuma has already mentioned, in less than two years of introducing methodology in the Ocean Economy, Operation Phakisa, has unlocked R17 billion in both public sector and private sector investments, and a total of 4 500 new jobs have been created.

Operation Phakisa in the Health sector is also making strides. A total of 322 public sector clinics, of the targeted 1083 clinics have been transformed into ideal clinics in only one year. These Ideal Clinics now provide health services of superior quality.

The reports from the Operation Phakisa in Mining and Education have also been finalised and will be implemented shortly.

Chairperson

We are serious about addressing service delivery blockages in government. Following directives from President Zuma and the Cabinet, the DPME created a special unit to ensure that government departments pay all legitimate invoices within 30 days, as stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act. DPME's intervention facilitated the payment of more than R41 million to service providers, mostly SMMEs in the past financial year.

Further steps to eliminate this problem will entail stronger enforcement of the applicable PFMA statute, which treats the non-payment of suppliers as financial misconduct. This means that the accounting officers of implicated departments and state entities and enterprises must be subjected to disciplinary action.

Honourable Members,

The future belongs to our young people and our duty is to ensure that they are prepared for their roles in it. Youth-targeted programmes of our government include the recently introduced Employment Tax Incentive scheme and a Labour Activation Strategy targeting vulnerable groups. Other programmes include local business incubators, providing industrial and retail sites, and support with marketing and access to finance.

Government is also directly hiring young people as part of the overall staff complement of departments. The Department of Public Service and Administration has set a target of 5% of a department's or province's staff establishment to be interns, and will monitor implementation. At current employment levels, this target translates to around 50 000 internship opportunities.

We call on the private sector to support these initiatives by ensuring that young people are given opportunities.

Chairperson

As this is a year in which we undertake Local Government elections, the nation's focus is naturally on the performance of the local sphere of government, which is the face of service delivery by government. This is where communities have a first-hand experience of basic services. In our consistent effort to reduce poverty and its adverse impacts, we have increased the proportion of indigent households receiving free basic services. Access to free water has improved from 61.8% of households in 2004 to 73.4% in 2013. Access to free electricity has improved from 29.3% in 2004 to 51% in 2013, while access to free solid waste management has increased from 38.7% in 2004 to 62.3% in 2013. The coverage of our Expanded Community Work Programmes has expanded from 45 municipalities in 2011 to 196 in 2015. The number of participants in these programmes has increased from 100,000 in 2011 to more than 200,000 in 2015.

Conclusion

Madam Speaker, let me conclude by reiterating what I stated at the outset. We are building a capable and democratic developmental State, striving towards comprehensive interventions to radically alter the socio-economic reality of the majority of our people. The NDP calls on us to work in partnership with all sectors of society such as business; labour; civil society; academic institutions; research organisations; student and youth movements; and professionals.

We are committed to doing much more to improve the lives of all South Africans, and to contribute to the advancement of the lives of all fellow Africans on our continent.

Finally, I would like to thank His Excellency President Zuma and Deputy President Ramaphosa for providing leadership to the work that we do. My gratitude also goes to my colleague, Minister Shabangu and Deputy Minister Manamela for their support and to all officials in the Presidency.

I thank you

Speech of The Minister in The Presidency Responsible for Women, Minister Susan Shabangu, ANC MP on the occasion of The President's Budget Vote, National Assembly, Parliament

Honourable Speaker,
Your Excellency, President Jacob Zuma,
Honourable Deputy President
Honourable Deputy Speaker,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

2016 is important because it marks the 60th Anniversary of the 1956 women's march, 40 years since the 1976 Uprising struggle against oppression and enforced Afrikaans as a medium of instruction, which broke the camel's back, and the 20th Anniversary of our world renowned Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Incidentally 2016 also marks the beginning of the count down to 2030, to the future we want, in which no one is left behind.

It is significant to acknowledge and recognise the role played by heroic stalwarts such as Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophia Williams - De Bruyn, Dorothy Nyembe, Albertina Sisulu, Ruth Mompati, Bertha Gxowa, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and many others through the 1956 women's march and campaigns before, as we speak today we are beneficiaries of their action which moulded and shaped our democracy as we enjoy it today.

In September 2015 H.E. The President participated at the UNGA meeting which adopted the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its goals (the SDGs) seek to change the course of the 21st century by addressing key challenges such as poverty, inequality, and under development. What is critical for us in this Agenda is the strong, dedicated gender equality goal, Goal 5, which should also be mainstreamed in all the other 16 goals. It addresses key structural constraints to gender equality, including: gender-based discrimination; violence against women and girls; harmful practices; women's disproportionate share of unpaid care work; lack of equal participation in decision-making in political, economic and social life; and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

These issues addressed in the SDGs, we have grappled with long ago, hence the Constitutional vision of the realisation of equality, including equality between women and men, is an ideal to be pursued and achieved through the implementation of the Constitution. The Constitution is aligned with and also serves as an instrument for facilitating South Africa's compliance with its international human rights obligations. Many of the international human rights standards and resultant obligations relate to women's human rights and the duty of parties to take measures to eradicate inequality between women and men in all spheres of life, including the justice system, the family, societal practices and the economy.

Our Constitutions doesn't just place the responsibility on the executive to comply with international instruments in promoting human rights for all, section 39 thereof enjoins those who have the responsibility to interpret it to use international binoculars.

Our strategies and institutional mechanisms to respond to violence against women have been recognised internationally:
In 2011 the UN Secretary General recognised the Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) as a "world best practice model" in the field of gender violence management and response.

South Africa also received 3 awards internationally for utilising technology to respond to violence against women and children, through the 24 hour Gender Based Violence Command Call Centre.

South Africa adopted the 16 Days Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign in 1998 as one of the intervention strategies towards creating a society free of violence, this is also in line with the National Development Plans, 2030 (NDP). However, violence against women continues despite the unprecedented laws and initiatives, as a result we extended the 16 Days Campaign to 365 Dyas Campaign, the #365 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (#365 Days Campaign) in partnership with Crime Line and other stakeholders. The aim of the #365 Days Campaign is to raise awareness on violence against women and children and to mobilise individuals to be counted in the yearlong activism to eradicate violence against women by joining the campaign. #CountMeIn is a social media tool thereof. The #CountMeIn is a tool for mass mobilisation of all communities to promote collective responsibility in the fight to eradicate violence against women and children courage society through consultation with FBOs, Media houses, Unions, Sports fraternity, Private sector and Civil Society Organisations including the SANAC's Men's Sector and other Men's Organisations, to shift the society's view that violence against women and children is a government or criminal justice system problem to realising that it is very much a societal problem, and that failure to view violence as a societal problem results in all efforts failing to eradicate this scourge in our communities.

On 11-12 April, South Africa appeared before the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, at its 58th Ordinary Session in Banjul, Gambia for the examination of South Africa's Combined Second Periodic Report under the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and the Initial Report under the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa.

The Commission commended South Africa for the presentation of its statement and responses to the Commissioners' questions. The Chairperson of the Session praised SA for being a trend setter and leader in Africa, and said that most countries in Africa learn from SA's progressive laws, policies and programmes. We continue to be trend setters, Siyaqhuba.

The timeframe of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development is incidentally aligned to South Africa's National Development Plan, 2030 (NDP) timeframe. The NDP aspires to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030 through uniting South Africans, unleashing the energies of its citizens, creating decent work and promoting investment in a competitive economy inclusive of women and young women, enhancing the capability of the state and leaders working together to solve complex problems. In line with our theme "We are Africa" we are therefore guided by our obligations to the AU Agenda 2063, and the AU Heads of State theme for 2016: "The Year of Human Rights With a Particular Focus on the Rights of Women" The most important aspirations of the African Agenda 2063 are:

Aspiration 1: A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, and
Aspiration 6: An Africa where development is people-driven, relying particularly on the potential of women and youth
All of the above will be sloganeering if women are not empowered socially and economically. If women are at the periphery of the economic development, then sustainable development will remain a pipe dream. The empowerment of women is not only critical for reducing poverty and underdevelopment, but it is also critical for the reduction of the high levels of crime, violence against women and children, and other social ills such as drugs and substance abuse which are tearing many communities apart.

Our approach and strategy to guarantee the attainment and sustenance of radical economic transformation is the promotion of the full inclusion of women in the economy. Financial inclusion is also one of the major drivers of economic development in Africa.

H.E. The President launched a report that assessed women's involvement in the economy: "The Status of Women in the South African economy". This report focuses on five critical areas: 1) Education - access and attendance, outcomes and performance; 2) Labour market; 3) Access to land property and credit; 4) changes in poverty and inequality and 5) unpaid work and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These five focus areas are aligned to the NDP, 9 Point Plan, SDGs and Agenda 2063 Aspirations.
The report reveals that education arguably underpins much of women's full engagement in the economy, as is the case for men, and is therefore central to the achievement of gender equality. It provides access to more remunerative areas of the labour market through improved skill and productivity levels, and may have similar impacts for the self-employed, but it also enables women to engage more meaningfully in society and make better-informed decisions. At a broader level, education is seen as key to promoting economic growth and reducing poverty. Furthermore, without investment in education, countries' ability to ability to harness the demographic dividend is significantly impaired.

The report reveals that data on enrolment shows that females account for an increasing proportion at higher levels of education. As a result, by the time they reach post-secondary education, females outnumber males by a ratio of around three to two. Despite few challenges of accessing higher degrees including the corporate level, women are succeeding. This is supported by the StatsSA Report released in April: Vulnerable Groups Series I: The Social Profile of Youth, 2009-2014, which provides that young graduates were least likely to be unemployed. Siyaqhuba, this is in line with the NDPs aim of building capabilities.

Since the democratic government took over in 1994, it took upon itself the responsibility to break down barriers of division and create a country where there will be neither Whites nor Blacks, just South Africans, free and united in diversity and gender not determining the worth of a person. However, the private sector is not on board, the recent Commission of Employment Equity Annual Report indicates that the trends in terms of skills development are disappointing at top and Senior Management in the private sector. At the top Management level, the white group benefitted the most from skills development opportunities. The skills development as reported by designated employers should reflect skills development designed to promote transformation. What the designated employers are reporting is that preferential treatment is given to the white group at the expense of black people in terms of skills development.

The report reveals that the labour market is certainly the key arena in which most individuals regularly engage with the economy. Productive employment provides access to resources via wages and inequalities within the labour market may therefore have far-reaching consequences in other areas.

Employment gains have accrued to women across the educational distribution, while older women and African women have benefited from above average employment growth rates. Women's employment, though, is more concentrated in a smaller number of sectors than men's, with 84 percent of female employment in the services sector. This concentration of employment may expose women relatively more to downturns within those sectors.

The Commission of Employment Equity Annual Report shows there has been some shift in the representation of women in top Management. However, while noting the shift mentioned above, it notes the fact that even though 51.2% of white males are terminated at top Management, they re-enter the system through recruitment (42,1%) and through promotions at 38,8% at the same level. These individuals are not being lost in the system; they come back probably to different organisations at the same level.

Asset inequality in South Africa has declined during the post-apartheid period. In terms of public asset access, an area in which government is a significant role-player through its provision of services and housing, gender inequality is lower. The provision of public services or assets is an area of particular success for government over the past 22 years and has brought enormous benefits to ordinary South Africans.

Based on the findings of this report, H.E. the President issued a directive to the Economic Sectors, Employment and Infrastructure Development Cluster Departments to place the empowerment of women at the centre of their plans and in particular the 9 Point Plan to grow the economy. The Department has developed a framework to analyse the reports from these Departments. The first report will be submitted in July.

Under the leadership of this democratic government, great strides have been made since 1994 to improve the status of women; there is a marked increase in the representation of women in the administration, cabinet, parliament and the judiciary, as well as in the private sector even though the representation is trickling, because of the unprecedented body of laws that this government has introduced. Involving women in governance processes constitutes one of South Africa's globally acclaimed success stories. South African women do not only hold leadership positions in national structures, but also in the international fora. We have seen an increase on gender representation of women in decision making positions both in the South African National Defence Force in line with the Security Council Resolution 1325, and the South African Police Service, including in Diplomatic appointments.

Women are also making inroads into Corporates and conglomerates leadership. More and more young South African women are choosing a career in the tough underground environment of mining including owning a mine. We also have young women in aviation and the navy, and the South African Airways (SAA) now has women pilots, some flying international bound flights. These are fruits of democracy and show that nothing is impossible for women if they are given an opportunity.

The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998, Schedule 1: Electoral System for Metro and Local Councils, Part 3 Proportional Representation Elections, article 11 Party list, Article 11(3) provides that:

Every party must seek to ensure that fifty percent of the candidates on the list are women, and that women and men candidates are evenly distributed through the list (Zebra Quota System).

We hope that as we go to the Local Government elections, all parties will be guided by the above article. Being mindful of not undermining the importance of our Constitutional institutions supporting constitutional democracy, it is befitting to acknowledge the role of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) which has led peaceful and credible elections for the past twenty two years, and has played a critical role in various African Countries to ensure peaceful and credible elections throughout Africa.

This democratic government has a vision of South Africa, in which black and white shall live and work together as equals in conditions of peace and prosperity; hence we talk of Radical Economic Transformation and Financial Inclusion for Women in the Economy, not an Open Society Ideology where those who benefitted from apartheid keep the ill-begotten-wealth at the expense of those who were deprived.

As instructed by Oliver Tambo speaking at Georgetown University on January 27, 1987, the people of South Africa must use the power derived from the discovery of the truth about racism in South Africa to help us to remake our part of the world into a corner of the globe on which all of humanity can be proud. Together, Moving South Africa Forward.

I thank you

Debate: Vote 1 - The Presidency by Cde J Mthembu (ANC Chief Whip)

4 May 2016

Topic: Fostering Nation Building and Social Cohesion through a Capable Democratic Developmental State the Firm Foundation for the National Democratic Society

Honourable Speaker,
Honourable President,
Honourable Deputy President,
Honourable Ministers,
Honourable Members of National Assembly,
Guests in the Gallery

Asinamona, asinanzondo, siyayidumisa iANC

Let me begin by thanking the people of South Africa for entrusting a responsibility of such immense proportions on the shoulders of the ANC, the duty of working together to improve the socioeconomic reality for all and create a better life for all South Africans. The people of South Africa have always been aware of their socio-political environment and their focus and attention has even grown more because of their government that is transparent, responsive and accountable. Ours is a government leadership that respects the people and that at all times endeavours to restore the human dignity of our people. Our government is inspired by the spirit of the preamble of the Constitution which I wish to remind this House of:

'We, the people of South Africa; recognise the injustices of the past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity'.

Honourable President upon your shoulders rests nation building and social cohesion. The Constitution as well as the South African coat of arms , impose on your and all of us the duty to unite our people in their diversity. This is an antithesis to apartheid which abused diversity to divide our people, the apartheid system also created a socioeconomic burden through morally reprehensible policies that allocate resources according to race. Yours and our call is a much higher one because we do not seek black supremacy over any other group but we seek non-racialism and equality,, we do not seek dictatorship of the proletariat but fair labour practices, we do not seek to replace patriarchy with matriarchy but we seek non-sexism, we desire not federalism but a unitary state neither do we seek a country that is an island of prosperity in a sea of poverty. Honourable President you and all of us seek an integrated regional economy, a united Africa, yes a fair, just and equitable world order.

Your calling Honourable President is at the time when the socioeconomic situation in the country and globally is complex, depressed and depressing. We know that history has called you at a time like this because of your wisdom, your down-to-earth attitude, your people-to-people skills, your patience and your understanding is what our people need to traverse this rather difficult path. It is within human nature that some will claim perfection through inaction while others claim fatherhood to all successes while denying any paternal connection to all challenges. We are aware that as soon as we dismount this podium, some will open a broadside and fire a litany of bullets shooting from the hip.

Their form of criticism without providing any credible alternative solutions amounts to nothing; however our multiparty democratic system allows them to express themselves. Indeed only the ANC is capable of discharging the mandate to improve all the lives of our people, this organisation that has played a pivotal role in the liberation of the people selflessly liberated the people of South Africa. This organisation that had the magnanimity to forgive those who persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and exiled its supporters, members, leaders even though the perpetrators had not asked for such forgiveness. The ANC did all of this out of its good heart but also as building blocks for a democratic future for generations to come.

Honourable Speaker,

The people of South Africa are fully aware that the advent of democracy leaped-frogged them to a better life despite a very stubborn and deep-seated legacy of colonial and apartheid rule. As South Africans prepare themselves for the fifth edition of local government elections, they know and are fully conversant with achievements that the ANC has brought and continues to bring to our democratic mother land SOUTH AFRICA. Before 1994 there was a fragmented system comprising over thousands local authorities for white people, Africans in urban areas, African communities in homelands, and Indian and Coloured communities. The arrangement was designed to systemically divide the people. Over the years the ANC government has fundamentally changed this by establishing a coherent, functional and stable structure and system of local governance. Unlike the apartheid system of local governance, our democratic system of local governance seeks to unite people and build better communities.

Madam Speaker, another important creation of our democracy is the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). We stand today proud that this midwife of our electoral democracy haslet us appreciate the midwife of our electoral democracy, the Independent electoral commission for having successfullyully and competently delivered five national government and four local government elections. In the past five years alone the IEC has delivered at least 859 by-elections. The IEC has also conducted election observer missions in several countries in the continent and abroad. This pride of our nation has received international as well as domestic acknowledgement and awards. We therefore reject Aany contention that the IEC ever conducted any elections in a partisan manner is rejected with the contempt it deserves. Honourable Malema, being litigious as he lately is, would if he had suspected partiality from the IEC, would have approached a court of law. The fact that he did not do so proves that his accusations are not only malicious and spurious but that he is blaming the referee before the game begins because he has no confidence that he will win the coming local government elections. Hon Malema, the ANC We will meet you in the streets of our country on the 3rd August 2016 and we can assure you that we will emerge victorious.him on the ground and the ANC will undoubtedly emerge victorious.

Madam Speaker

The ANC will emerge victorious because we have the track record and the experience to deliver to our people. Just to drive this point home, sSince the advent of our democratic dispensation, more than five million more people are working with total employment at just above 14 million. We are proud that between 20071 to 20134, a further 4,569,23961.3 percent of households have access to piped water making a total of 11,794,526 households, an increasehaving increased from 61.3 to 90 percent, and those with access to sanitation have increased from 62.3 to 79.5 percent. Lastly the percentage of households that are connected to electricity supply increased from 67 to 86 percent.

Madam speaker

We are more than proud that our ANC government has provided 4.33.7 million housing subsidies over this period to South Africans. Honorable President, if there is one thing that South Africans will remember you for after you have left office in 2019, your legacy will be the lives you have saved since taking office. Through the ambitious HIV Programme that your administration instituted in 2009, South Africa has saved millions of women from maternal deaths, we have saved millions of unborn babies through stopping mother to child transmission of HIV, it is common cause that we have decreased infant mortality significantly. In my own township of Witbank, even week days had become burial days before 2009 as a result of HIV and Aids. Honorable President, that has stopped and we have you to thank. We also want to remind South Africans one and all that the life expectancy for South Africans, through these interventions,for South Africans has increased from 53.4 years in 2004 to 62.5 years in 2015.

Flowingollowing from these proven records of service delivery to our people,; in the next five years we intend extending piped water and electricity to all South Africans in our country.

South Africa has from 2012 had the National Development Plan (NDP) designed as a broad set of programmatic intervention. The NDP proposes a 'virtuous' cycle of growth and development, while reducing poverty and inequality. The NDP enjoins us to build strong leadership throughout society, foster national consensus, broaden social cohesion and entrench a capable state.

Infrastructure investment is a key priority in the NDP, and it is instrumental to inclusive growth and job creation in South Africa, that is why the 2011decision to establish the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Committee (PICC) was a critical intervention to improve the socioeconomic reality of all. It is because of the efficiency and efficacy of the PICC that amongst others, the President opened the Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington, Northern Cape on 2nd September, 2014. It is because of the work of the PICC and your leadership Comrade President that you unveiled 95 electric locomotives assembled at the Transnet Engineering Koedoespoort Plant in Pretoria on 19th March 2015.

Comrade President you launched Operation Phakisa, a fast results delivery programme in July 2014 as one of the mechanism to implement the NDP. We are glad that through Operation Phakisa government has unlocked investments amounting to about seventeen billion rand (R17 billion) in the Oceans economy. We are pleased that since the inception of Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy, over Four Thousand Five Hundred (4500) jobs have been created in the various sectors.

These are but examples of many achievements that the ANC-led government has registered and commitments it has made to the people of South Africa.

Madam Speaker

Despite all these achievements we have alluded to, we are fully aware of the challenges that faces our country to grow our economy to appropriate levels, to ensure that the youth of our country are employed and employable, to ensure that all people in South Africa are rescued from high levels of poverty and inequality, we are nonetheless are confident, having listened to the various budget speeches by various Ministers and yourself, Comrade President, that all these challenges will indeed be a thing of theour past during our lifetime. Our conviction is not only drawn from the evidence of many achievements including those just alluded to alone but also from the good work that our government performed in ensuring security of electricity supply in our country. For over nine consecutive months, the people of South Africa have not experienced any load-shedding.

We owe our freedom to countries and peoples' of the continent and the world; that is why we, as South Africans, As South Africa we continue to play an active role in supporting conflict resolution initiatives and post-conflict reconstruction and development processes in Africa and beyond, having learned from our past. We commend our government for sharing our experiences in the truth and reconciliation and constitution development processes with the Sri Lanken Government, Ireland and many others.

Let me congratulate you Honourable President for being invited by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon to serve as Co-chair with President Hollande in the High-level Commission on Health, Employment and Economic Development. This is in recognition of of not only the work of the ANC government which you lead but also that of your quiet yet compelling leadership. Your work through consultation and collectives demonstrates your conviction in inclusive leadership.

In Durban three years ago, under South Africa's leadership, world leaders took bold decisions to significantly advance the global effort to address the global climate crisis. We set a new long-term pathway for the development of a fair, ambitious and legally binding future multilateral and rules-based global climate change system that ensures the fair participation of all countries.

On 12 December 2015, the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change unanimously adopted the Paris Agreement and a package of supporting decisions covering climate action in the pre and post 2020 periods. This marked the successful conclusion of a four year negotiation process under the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action by establishing, for the first time, a common legal platform for climate action that is applicable to all countries.

South African engaged in the negotiations in its national capacity with the special responsibility of being the initiator of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. Our country also has a reputation as a bridge-builder and problem solver. At COP 21 in Paris we had the added responsibility of Chairing the Group of 77 in China, a group of 124 developing countries. We acted also as a leading negotiator for the African Group as well as being a member of the Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) configuration of so-called 'emerging economies'. Siyaqhuba.

Honourable Speaker,

It is true to the nature and revolutionary moral conscience of Comrade President that he is neither vindictive nor does he hold grudges against those who did and continue to wrong him. I am painfully reminded Comrade President, that your Nkandla homestead was intentionally set on fire two times by those who were after your life; and that a close family member of yours was indecently assaulted; and many of your friends and comrades were hangedung by the apartheid government, while some including yourself were imprisoned and exiled by the same regime. Yet Comrade President you forgave all your enemies and have embraced former apartheid leaders as partners in moving South Africa forward.
Honorable President, you are born of a mother and a father , like all of us you are not perfect. But the difference between you and some of us in this House is that you are able to say "I am sorry". It is this humility that defines who you are.

Comrade President we have studied both the recent judgments that of the Constitutional Court as well as the one of the North Gauteng High Court and not of the two came to the determination that you should either step down from office or be removed. Therefore the calls for your stepping down or removal are not based on the judgments but a deep seated desire to supplant democratic means in order to ascend to political power by some in this House. We call on all South Africans to respect the judgments butto isolate those abusing these judgments for ulterior political ends.

Honourable Speaker

The EFF believes it is above the law, that it can threaten and attempt to destroy our democratic dispensation, peace and stability without any consequences. On the other handend the DA believes it can hide behind a black human cloak to perpetrate white supremacy and protect white privilege, as once again all statistics show that white males are still dominating the economy.

Madam Speaker let's remind this House that the Boeremag, a right wing group that threatened our peace and stability by blasting 8 bombs in Soweto in 2002, after a long trial lasting up to 2013,were sentenced to an effective 25 to 30 years imprison for their treasonous acts. We want to sound a stern warning to those who think they can taemper with our democratic dispensation and those who think they can temper with our hard won peace and stability, we also want to sound a stern warning to those who think they can commit acts of sabotage and foment civil war that the Boeremag fate shall be theirs and prison shall be their home. Honourable Malema, when this happens don't say we did not warn you. The choice is yours. In fact we have approached the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests to investigate whether your utterances in an interview with Aljazeera Television network were in breach of the Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Parliament.

Madam Speaker I really sympathise with honourable Mmusi Maimane, he is presiding over a party whose many members are self- declared racists, some of them are in this house, they are opposed to any transformation measures taken by our government to level the playing field in the economy, sports, labour or any other endeavour in our lives. It is my view that they do not consider that anything good can come from a black person, the question that arises is why do they have a black leader my guess is as good as yours, I think honourable Maimane is being used by this verkrampte party, whose members still yearn for the days of P.W Botha and call black people monkeys, Maimane is being used as a bate to attract black votes. There can be no other logical explanation, thanks God Mam Mamphela Ramphela was wise enough to see through this party.

The ANC moves for the support of vote 1 The PresidencyHon Speaker, it is only the ANC that represents the hopes and aspirations of our people.

The ANC moves for the support of Vote 1 The Presidency

Budget Vote Debate- Extended Public Committee National Assembly Contribution by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP
President of the Inkatha Freedom Party

Honourable Speaker; Your Excellency the President; Honourable Members –

I doubt that today we will hear much about this budget. That debate is likely to take a back seat to accusations and complaints against the President himself. Despite agreeing with my colleagues in the opposition, I was not raised to say things like “Zuma must voetsek”. We as the IFP believe in restoring dignity and honest debate to this House and to politics. Thus we will speak today about the budget.

Honourable Speaker, failed service delivery has ignited protest across our country, as unfulfilled promises demand answers. It is surprising then that, when it comes to issues of service delivery, the President conducts only 5 visits per year across South Africa. And he does so at a cost of R38,2 million in travel, subsistence and communication services.

This speaks volumes about the priorities and costs of the Presidency.

But the President cannot answer on this budget. That responsibility lies with the accounting officer and officials in his Department, who should be interrogated over this budget in a portfolio committee, as happens with every other Government Department. So why not the Presidency?

Year after year the IFP asks this same question. Now it is for the Honourable Speaker and the Rules Committee to take it further.

Nevertheless, even without full insight into this budget, obvious issues must be raised.

The turnaround strategy at the South African Post Office saw well over 5000 employees retrenched. For overseeing that strategy, technical officials have been seconded to the Presidency. One wonders whether they could not oversee a strategy in the Presidency to reduce expenditure on employee compensation, as this alone accounts for 63,8% of the budget.

Despite Cabinet recommending reductions in the budget for compensating employees, spending is set to increase at an average annual rate of 8%. Rather than reducing staff, which is the logical way to reduce expenditure on staff, the Presidency is increasing the number of personnel by 35 posts.

There is a clear contradiction between what Cabinet seeks to achieve, and what is being done. It is simply not sustainable to keep growing the number of staff and growing the budget for staff compensation at a rate that outstrips inflation.

Apparently the Presidency intends to reprioritise internally and develop a plan to stay within budget. But in the meantime, it keeps going in the wrong direction.

I am reminded of the IFP’s warnings to Government in 2011 that within the next five years National Debt would grow to R1,5 trillion. We were mocked for that prediction. Yet today National Debt exceeds R2 trillion. The IFP warned that we cannot keep borrowing with no real plan of how we will pay it back.

This Government seems to believe that so long as it intends to find a solution sometime in the future, it is feasible to keep moving in the wrong direction now. Is it not said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?

The biggest budgetary increase in the Presidency is in Executive Support, and the reason put forward is that there will be more Cabinet meetings in a non-election year. As the budget puts it, “the 2014 elections interrupted the normal schedule of meetings”. This is a concerning statement, for it suggests that the running of the country takes a back seat to campaigning for votes.

Unfortunately, the line between the President’s roles as our Head of State and a political leader is often transgressed.

Within the Presidency, R9,1 million will go into leading the agenda on nation building and social cohesion. How much of this will be undone by irresponsible political statements? Social cohesion was set back significantly when the President said that black South Africans must vote for a black person, lest the whites take back the country and keep blacks in poverty.

When the President speaks, he should do so as the President of all South Africa, not just of the ANC.

The IFP accepts this budget, but we have strong reservations over the leadership it supports.