ADDRESS BY MBHAZIMA SHILOWA, DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF COPE ON THE OCCASION OF THE BUDGET VOTE OF THE PRESIDENCY, May 12 2010
Honourable Speaker
The Congress of the People will not support the budget, for reasons that will become clearer during my input.
In a month's time football fans from across the globe will descend on our shores in their multitude. They will come to witness the first ever, historic, FIFA world cup tournament held on African soil. If ever there was a time for South Africans to come together in solidarity and embrace Bafana Bafana, this was the time! Here was a gift-wrapped opportunity to forge national unity and cohesion.
While the vuvuzela cannot score goals, seeing all of South Africa blowing on them would have lifted our football stars to great heights of achievement in the opening encounter with Mexico. Once they cross this hurdle, I have no doubt that instead of aiming at the treetops they would begin to aim for the stars. Hon President, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you must seize with both hands.
That the infrastructure is ready is a matter of great pride. We now need to focus sharply on logistical issues: integrated public transport, security, fan parks, and accommodation to name but a few. For ordinary men and women there will be an opportunity to derive economic benefit to the extent that is possible. For government the imperative is to make certain that we do not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Tourists must be protected so that by word of mouth they can spread the appeal of South Africa all over the world.
As we prepare for this world spectacle, we should not lose sight of the bleak reality that confronts our people. Four in ten of those who could be employed are jobless. What this means in terms of suffering is unimaginable. While men are also badly affected in this regard, women and the youth are hardest hit. Social grants, we agree, are helping to ameliorate the situation. People have no choice but to accept the hand out. What they seek, however, is a hand up.
People want to emerge out of the poverty in which they are mired. Many have no water, no sanitation, and no shelter. To add to their misery, they are also frequent victims of violent crimes. This is where government should be targeting its spending. This has to be government's priority. However, government expenses are ballooning because of executive expenditure on luxury sedans, five star hotel accommodation, the increase in the size of president spousal office, and the expensive state visit to the UK. The continued appointment of a plethora of advisers is a clear indication that making an improvement in the lives of our people, especially the poor, is not the area of research.
While we welcome the many announcements by ministers on plans that will ultimately lead to sustainable jobs, the sad reality is that even more jobs are being lost daily as we speak. This is happening despite the President's assurance during the state of the nation address that we had turned the corner. Bling is prospering while unemployment is ravaging the lives of the people. As infrastructure projects and buildings get completed, many more people will soon join the ranks of the unemployed. You are no doubt aware that more than a million jobs have been lost under your watch sir.
A few weeks ago, I visited the village of Miyexe. What I saw there was shocking. Having been conditioned by ministerial assurances in this House, that improvements were taking place, I could see that despite spin, there was very little taking place that could be termed rural development. If this is how a pilot project looks, I shudder to think what the real project will look like. If it is assumed that I visited the wrong area, I am happy to accompany nkulukumba Nkwiti na Baloyi, hi ya vona. Better still when next nkulukumba Chavani va ya ka Xikundu I am happy ku va heleketa hi ya vona.
I am aware that you have been to Mthatha a few months ago. We are aware of the undertakings you made to its citizens. The sad reality is that by the time the programmes you promised are undertaken, even the existing roads which were more potholes than roads would have turned to gravel. This is a terrible let down to a province which indulgently gave their vote to the ruling party.
It is now a matter of historical record that the President failed to declare his assets in time and only did so after an outcry from the public. The cabinet asked the South African public to move on as this was now water under the bridge. The truth though is that a new benchmark for ministers has now been set. They too can take their time knowing that they can get away with proverbial murder. No wonder some of them continue to do business with state institutions even as they hold public office. The President's assurance of accountability and transparency rings hollow. The president's commitment to rooting out corruption, something South Africans are ready to join hands with, has still to materialise.
We are told that all ministers have now signed perfomance agreements with the president, but that these will not be made public. Why make the announcement in public if the public has no way of monitoring and evaluating. If the public does not know what has been undertaken how will it know to what extent it has been delivered? For these contracts to have any meaning, they must be made public.
We welcome the new found impetus to fighting the scourge of HIV and Aids including your leadership on being tested. This is an important step as it helps people who are HIV positive to ensure that they do not infect others or contact a different stain by continuing as if nothing had taken place. There is, however, an even bigger onus on those who test negative. They have to take steps to ensure that they remain negative though remaining faithful to their partners and condomising. They too have a duty to stop engaging in sexually risky behaviour.
Important as the roll out of anti retrovirals is, without the procurement of essential drugs at cheaper rates, the programme may soon become unaffordable especially if we as South Africans do not change our attitude to HIV and Aids.
We welcome the fact that the Planning commission is now in place. We welcome the fact the men and women in it have been drawn from all walks of South African life and will therefore be able to look beyond defending the status quo. We hope though that they will focus not so much on how to implement the ruling party's election manifesto, but in how to shape a long term vision for the country. They must take into account the prevailing social and economic climate. It is crucial that they produce a plan that will span many decades regardless of the inevitable change of government.
We want to welcome the President's openness in dealing with opposition parties. We hope that this will move from being merely symbolic to dealing substantively with huge issues that are facing our nation. The invitation to political parties to participate in the national freedom celebrations was a good first step. This must now be followed up through a real involvement of opposition parties in the life of society on issues that matter most to them.
Thank You.
Issued by the Congress of the People, May 12 2010
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