Chairperson, Cope believes that the NDP correctly emphasises the necessity of sound economic infrastructure as a precondition for economic growth. Our country's transport infrastructure is a key priority. As with every other Minister, projections extend to 2030 or to 2050. Minister, we call on you: We need your department to spell out a year-by- year projection to accurately test for performance, so that we can examine whether the small targets leading to the big results are in fact being met.
Reports continuously surface about the poor state of roads in our country. Roads are not being maintained. Corruption in the procurement process leading to shady work is worsening the situation. This is impacting negatively on the economy as a whole. Let us take the R74 into perspective: The Deputy Minister does not agree with it, but the R74 was a link to the tourism-rich areas of the Northern Drakensberg with the Free State, Gauteng and Lesotho. This is also used as an alternative route through Little Switzerland and other places to KwaZulu-Natal.
Through corruption, mismanagement and maladministration, businesses like the Sterkfontein Dam have been liquidated and closed down. Farming has come to a total standstill. The department acknowledged that they are now going to fix the road but businesses were liquidated; livelihoods were lost. Citizens have lost their livelihoods and families have borne the brunt of the consequences.
Unless hon De Freitas and Mabika had hijacked my speech, then there must be some truth in the following statement, ... [Laughter.] ... because Cope condemns the unlawful intimidation of Gauteng motorists by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, the JMPD, and the SA National Roads Agency, Sanral, in coercing motorists to buy e-tags. [Interjections.]