Hon Speaker, in the short time that I have been here, I have had to face the proverbial sink-or-swim scenario. There was no time for orientation, as seen from my previous short walk to the podium; and so swim it was. [Laughter.]
I am thankful, and I am certainly grateful for the friends that I have made across political lines and in particular those in the Economic Development Department, and the Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee, as friends at the bus stop in Acacia Park, and here in my short tenure in Parliament.
The ACDP is safely cognisant of the great potential our nation has, having on many occasions proved the doomsayers wrong, such as when we faced our first democratic elections in 1994 when many said ...
... die swartes kan nie regeer nie. [... blacks cannot govern.]
Again, in 2010, when they said we could not host the World Cup. Well, that is history; we have, to a large extent, proven the doomsayers wrong.
The Goldman Sachs report disagrees with it and puts forward some truisms that others may not want to hear. The ACDP does note some areas of concern which, if not addressed, have the potential to derail the great strides we have made in the past 19,5 years. These are service delivery protests, our crime statistics, our key efficiency of some 0,7 and unemployment at just under 25%.
In addition to that, we sit on a moral knife-edge, where babies are raped and mutilated, and grandmothers are also raped, beaten and left for dead. Our women are under threat of rape, with some 3600 being raped every day.
If we fail to recognise the sanctity of life while still in the mother's womb, I believe that we sow the wind and begin to reap an immoral whirlwind.
George Carlin once said:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, yet less wellness.
On behalf of all in the ACDP, we wish our colleagues in the national Parliament well over the Christmas period, as the prophecy comes true:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
May you all return in the New Year refreshed, invigorated and prepared to serve our nation with integrity as carriers of the flame of good governance. I thank you. [Applause.]