Chairperson, indeed it is a privilege for me to address you, in my maiden speech, on the last day of the sitting of this House, of course. Firstly, let me express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to everybody who has participated in the processing of the 2009 Division of Revenue Bill. In particular, we are eternally grateful to the Select Committee on Finance, under the leadership of Mr Ralane, for their sterling work. This is particularly remarkable bearing in mind that, due to the elections scheduled for 22 April 2009, the processing of the Bill had to be expedited, which afforded the NCOP limited time for the processing of the Bill.
The Division of Revenue Bill is the embodiment of co-operative governance, which is at the heart of our democracy and Constitution. It's an outcome of extensive consultative processes among technocrats and between the political leadership of the three spheres of government.
The division of resources among the three spheres of government is one of the most critical steps in the Budget process as it provides the basis for the preparation of the national, 9 provincial and 283 municipal budgets for the coming financial year.
The Bill gives effect to section 214(1) of the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Act of 1997, which require an annual Act of Parliament to provide for the equitable division of revenue anticipated to be raised among the three spheres of government.
There is no doubt that this Division of Revenue Bill is presented to you when the world economy is in turmoil and each and every country in the world is finding ways of protecting itself from the adverse effects of the sharply slowing economic conditions.
A large part of the strategy is to explore ways of ensuring that we do more with the little that we have, that we employ our resources more smartly and more efficiently and that we minimise and, at most, eradicate wastage.
The period ahead will require of us, as a collective, that we improve our oversight over the scarce resources to ensure that the quality of services is improved and that the poor are not left behind during these difficult times.
The Bill before us covers in detail all transfers to be made to provinces and municipalities over the next three years. The explanatory attachments also contain detailed information on the formulas for the provincial and local equitable share allocations, and a detailed framework on each conditional grant to a province or municipality.
The publication of this information will enable every province and municipality, and every national and provincial department, to prepare their multiyear budgets in terms of the Public Finance Management Act.
The good strides made by South Africa in ensuring a transparent budget process have been recognised internationally. South Africa is ranked second in the world on the Open Budget Index, which measures the transparency and quality of budget information. This is indeed a remarkable achievement.
Allow me to caution that the certainty of flows alone is not sufficient to ensure that services are delivered to our people. This House has an exceedingly important role to be even more vigorous in its oversight role to ensure that these fiscal flows result in services being delivered to our people.
This House has been vigilant in the past in ensuring that funds are spent and that these funds are spent on the programmes that seek to ensure that the poor receive quality services. We expect that this good work will continue to ensure that value for money is indeed attained during these leaner fiscal times.
More effective and efficient spending by every province and municipality will make sure, for instance, that no children learn under trees; that clean and cholera-free potable water is delivered to our people; and that access to housing and public transport for our people is fast-tracked.
This Bill, with the wealth of information it contains, such as the outputs set out in the frameworks for conditional grants, is but one of the tools we put before this House for it to exercise oversight over national departments, including National Treasury, provinces and municipalities. Let me now turn to some of the highlights of the deliberations in the select committee on the Bill that this House is about to adopt today, as I believe it will.
I am aware that some of the discussions were quite vibrant. Some of the issues that were raised by those who made representations to the committee pointed to some pertinent matters about our budgeting, financial management and performance monitoring system.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, the deliberations highlighted the importance of the NCOP in exercising its oversight role.
Secondly, the discussions highlighted matters of capacity and the quality of spending. I am told that members of the select committee raised concerns that insufficient investment in libraries, community and sports facilities should be addressed as these types of interventions are essential tools in creating an environment that supports the development of our youth. At the same time, attention needs to be given to putting in place appropriate scholar transport systems that are supportive of urban and rural scholar transport needs.
Thirdly, employment-generation programmes will have to be supported in the present economic climate the country finds itself in, hence phase two of EPWP, the Extended Public Works Programme. I am informed that there was rigorous debate on this matter. The concerns raised by the committee have been noted and the allocations will be adjusted in future to ensure that the programme is also institutionalised in rural municipalities.
Lastly, the importance of ensuring that more poorly resourced municipalities are appropriately funded was stressed throughout the hearings. As part of the ongoing review of the local government fiscal framework, the focus will be on strengthening the revenue base of metropolitan and other larger urban municipalities and increasingly targeting transfers to more poorly resourced municipalities.
A number of reforms have already been introduced to fund poorly resourced municipalities more appropriately, such as introducing a minimum of R500 million for the Municipal Infrastructure Grant allocation and making appropriate adjustments to the revenue-raising component of the local government equitable share formula.
Again, additional resources alone will not address the challenges faced by these smaller and rural municipalities. Steps will have to be taken to ensure that these additional flows to these smaller and rural municipalities result in tangible service delivery improvements and are not used to pay salaries and consultants' fees only.
The division of revenue, as set out in this year's Bill, gives effect to the priorities articulated by President Kgalema Motlanthe in his state of the nation address on 6 February, which were further elaborated on in the speeches of the Premiers in our nine provinces. The budget framework allows us to provide R161 billion in additional spending over the next three years, in comparison with our spending plans from a year earlier. Over the period ahead, government's spending plans are focused on enhancing the quality of education; improving the provision of health care, particularly for the poor; reducing infant, child and maternal mortality rates; reducing the level of crime and enhancing citizen safety; expanding the built environment to improve public transportation and to meet universal access targets in housing, water, electricity and sanitation; and decreasing rural poverty by taking steps to raise rural incomes, and improving livelihoods by extending access to land and support for emerging farmers. The resources provided for in this Bill will enable each sphere of government to step up the programmes targeted in these priorities.
Of the R161 billion additional resources, national departments will share R101,5 billion - including the R50 billion for Eskom - provinces R47,8 billion and municipalities R11,3 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. Further details on the specific programmes and projects to be implemented in each province and municipality over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework can be found in their 2009 budget statements.
Schedule 1 of the Bill provides a summary of the allocation of funds to the three spheres of government. Of the R738,6 billion Budget in 2009-10, the national department functions amount to R483,7 billion. This includes debt service costs amounting to R55,3 billion and a contingency reserve of R6 billion. Provinces receive R231,1 billion and R23,8 billion is allocated to local government.
Schedules 2 and 3 allocate equitable shares to provinces and municipalities. Schedules 4 through to 6 allocate conditional and other grants to provinces and local government. Schedule 7 allocates in-kind transfers to municipalities. Schedule 8 allocates incentives for provinces and municipalities to meet targets with regard to priority government programmes. The 2009 MTEF allocations to provinces provide for the further strengthening of social services programmes that have a high impact on human development, the quality of life and social transformation.
A substantial share of the additional resources is expected to go to education to ensure that services and quality are improved. The 2009 Budget extends the no-fee-schools policy from the poorest 40% to the poorest 60%; reduces the teacher-learner ratio in the poorest 20% of schools; caters for facilities for learners with disabilities; and extends the coverage of the national school nutrition programme. Provision is also made in the infrastructure grant for provinces to increase classroom space for Grade R learners and to upgrade school infrastructure, secure facilities and install libraries and laboratories. These investments constitute a considerable effort to improve the quality of schooling in our country.
Provincial budgets will reinforce the strengthening of the health sector so that South Africans who do not have medical insurance can also enjoy good quality health. Allocations are set aside to expand the range of vaccines provided to children in order to reduce maternal and child mortality and to combat HIV and Aids, and Extreme and Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis. The hospital revitalisation programme is also prioritised in the period ahead. In addition, provinces are expected to step up their own hospital maintenance budgets.
Our housing budget receives a further R3,7 billion, taking the total allocation over the next three years to R44,7 billion. In 2003-04, we spent R4,6 billion on housing. By 2011-12, the end of our present budgeting period, the budget rises to R17,2 billion. Allocations for water, sanitation, electrification and municipal roads all rise in a complementary fashion. It is thus very important that this House continues to ask questions concerning the returns for this sizeable investment.
Access to public transport has a major impact on the economy and on people's lives, particularly the poor that are mainly reliant on public transport to get to work and education facilities. The need for an effective public transport system is therefore critical to creating a better life for all. Transport-related adjustments include the creation of a new conditional grant, the public transport operations grant, of R11,5 billion over the period for bus subsidies.
Excuse me, hon Minister. I'm told that people cannot hear you. Or is it a case of the unavailability of interpreting services? [Interjections.] Oh, no sound volume?
Chairperson, the sound volume is very low. We can't even hear you speak, Chairperson. I have to read your lips.
You can't hear me?
Can I start all over again, Chairperson? [Laughter.]
No, Deputy Minister, just continue. Can the staff concerned increase the level of the sound volume, please? [Interjections.] Continue, hon Minister.
Turning to local government, I've spoken about provinces; over the next three years municipalities will receive R181,7 billion, including in-kind allocations or an additional R11,3 billion. This includes R22,9 billion for the sharing of the general fuel levy with metropolitan municipalities, which will be introduced from the 2009 Budget as the primary replacement for the former regional services council levies. The local government equitable share receives a further R2,5 billion for the delivery of free basic services to all poor households.
Municipal infrastructure-related spending is allocated an additional R8 billion over the next three years. This results in total infrastructure transfers to municipalities of just over R58,3 billion over the next three years, which increases to R67,5 billion, if infrastructure that is provided on behalf of municipalities, that is in-kind transfers, is also included. These adjustments are intended to enhance access to water, sanitation, electricity and roads; to extend regional bulk infrastructure to support such services to the poor; to promote municipal initiatives that will support more efficient use of energy; and to support host cities in their preparations for the Fifa Confederations Cup in 2009 and the 2010 Fifa World Cup. We need to ensure that the intergovernmental grants at our disposal are designed in such a manner that they support optimal outcomes. It has become evident that there is a need to reform the Municipal Infrastructure Grant to respond appropriately to the different demographic, economic, infrastructural and institutional challenges faced by the 283 municipalities in our country. From the 2009 Budget, the Municipal Infrastructure Grant to cities will enable cities to manage more effectively, and to support and account for built environmental outcomes by rather focusing on their entire infrastructure programme performance than solely on project outputs. Although smaller, more rural municipalities will continue to account for project outputs, attention will also be given to introducing innovations that will address the capacity and resource deficiencies faced by these municipalities so as to improve expenditure outcomes.
Finally, allocations for capacity-building total R1,7 billion over the 2009 MTEF period. This is further complemented by the Siyenza Manje programme, via the Development Bank of SA, to develop skills in engineering, planning and financial management within municipalities. In the period ahead, government will take steps to co-ordinate these capacity-building initiatives to avoid duplication and contradictions. These allocations are aimed at supporting local programmes that will provide for sector investment in underserviced communities. Together with increases in housing allocations, this should provide a major boost to local economic development.
In conclusion, provinces and municipalities continue to play an important role in accelerating growth and job creation, broadening economic participation and reducing poverty. Taking into account the current economic downturn, it will be exceedingly important in the period ahead to take stronger action in pursuit of efficiency and better targeted expenditure. Expenditure priorities of provinces and municipalities therefore need to focus on more efficient and effective service delivery, protecting the poor and creating employment.
Chairperson and hon members, once again, thank you very much. And together, we can do more. [Applause.]
Hon members, I have been informed that the microphones are not functioning properly, but if you use the ear pieces provided, you will be able to hear better.
Hon Chairperson and hon members, the Division of Revenue Bill for 2009 was tabled in a very different economic climate to that in which these Bills have been tabled in recent years. The world economy, and that of South Africa, is in a worse position than it has been for several decades. However, the DA welcomed Minister Manuel's decision to keep to his considered and responsible fiscal position in the current global economic environment.
This Bill is the most important Bill passed annually, as it is a recognised critical step in the budget process, allocating resources to the three spheres of government. It is a process essential for national government, the 9 provinces and each of the 284 municipalities to be able to determine their budgets. The process for making this decision is at the heart of co- operative governance - the ideal envisaged in the Constitution of South Africa.
As members of the select committee we are convinced that the debates on the division of revenue constitute the foundation of our work and our oversight responsibilities. We welcome the fact that the following have been prioritised: enhancing the quality of education; improving the provision of health care, particularly for the poor; to reduce infant mortality, child and maternal mortality rates; reducing levels of crime and enhancing citizen safety; expanding the built-environment to improve public transportation and meet universal access targets in housing, water, electricity and sanitation; and decreasing rural poverty by taking steps to raise rural incomes and improve the productivity of farms. Improving food security for our nation through increasing the number of extension officers to support emerging farmers is vital. However, I must caution that, while making funding available is vital and laudable, the most important step is to improve on delivery and accountability. There must be an emphasis on quality spending and responsible spending.
Mentoring is vital to improving quality service, and so is the enforcement of checks and balances. For this to happen there must be an improvement in the work ethic and in the performance of all officials, from the Directors- General down to the lowest levels. And so too we need a more responsible attitude from our mayors and local councillors, concentrating not so much on perks and privileges but on service delivery to the poor and neglected, those who have been sidelined and neglected in the pursuit of power and influence. When committees, whether from national or provincial parliaments, do their oversight work, they should keep this most important document, the Division of Revenue Bill, in mind.
We welcome the following improvements made in the current Bill: the recommendation that, just as the Division of Revenue Bill requires that indicated allocations to schools and hospitals be gazetted with the tabling of provincial government budgets, this practice should be extended to clinics and other primary health care facilities as and when they fall under provincial control. The intention is to address bottlenecks that are hampering housing services delivery by accelerating the accreditation of municipalities with adequate capacity in line with the framework provision of the Integrated Housing and Human Settlement Development Grant. I refer here, in particular, to the City of Cape Town, which was denied accreditation contrary to the spirit of co-operative governance. Who suffered? The poor who desperately await homes of their own.
The recommendation was made by the FFC to ensure that spending for public transport infrastructure for 2010 is linked to broader city development plans. With the introduction of the new conditional grants to provinces and local governments, it is believed that such grants will strengthen the capacity of governments at all spheres to accelerate service delivery. However, there is an area of concern, because the equitable share formula used is largely population-driven and the allocations it generates are sensitive to shifts in populations across provinces. Such population shifts, in turn, lead to changes in relative demand for public services across the provinces. Population shift patterns in provinces like the Western Cape and Gauteng need very special attention to ensure that underestimations in population trends are accommodated to avoid increases in current backlogs.
I am appealing to Minister Manuel and Deputy Minister Nene not to forget about significantly increasing the conditional grant for libraries every year when I am no longer here to make this appeal to them. I am also appealing to you, hon members, to ensure that the provinces spend the full allocation of the conditional grant, so that libraries can be built in order for literacy and education to become top priorities at schools and in every home. In this way our nation can prosper and thrive with jobs for all.
In conclusion, it was Thomas Jefferson who once wrote that: "The purse of the people is the real seat of sensibility". The way in which we expend that purse shows how we care about the poorest and most vulnerable in our nation and that our ideals are not just empty rhetoric. Let us all remember that as we go into this election period.
I thank the members of the Select Committee on Finance, Scof, for their spirit of collegiality over the past five years in the interest of the people who elected us to Parliament. Finance committees are generally not very political or combative, as they focus on figures rather than on ideology and I think it is a good idea for all of us to concentrate on service delivery to the people. We have insisted on better performance and have sometimes sent mayors and officials away with their tails between their legs, and told them to come back again when their figures made sense, but that has always been in the interest of service delivery. So, let us take that forward, as we all assume new roles in the next term of office. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, Deputy Minister, congratulations to you, Deputy Minister, on your appointment that is accompanied by new responsibilities.
Hon members, this is our last engagement for the Third Parliament. All things considered, we have an admirable record of political decisions. This, at times, was as a result of robust engagements which invariably produced democratic and progressive outcomes. In the Select Committee on Finance we were frequently challenged by contentious issues, but hopefully the results proved edifying. I thank my colleagues in the Select Committee on Finance for their co-operation in ensuring progress in the completion of the committee's work. I also wish the public representatives to have successful election campaigns in raising political awareness and making voters aware of the significance of exercising their vote.
This Division of Revenue Bill is the last Bill of its kind in this Third Parliament. In the next Parliament, the Division of Revenue Bill will be governed by a new National Act of Parliament - the Money Bills Amendment Procedure Bill.
The Division of Revenue Bill is tabled annually on a Budget day and epitomises intergovernmental fiscal relations. Essentially, the Division of Revenue Bill reflects the legal division of revenue between the three spheres of government. The Bill divides revenue horizontally within the provincial and local government spheres. Politically, the Division of Revenue Bill relates to the allocation and division of revenue across government spheres for the purpose of improving service delivery. The collection of revenue and its allocation is determined by policy and political decision-making. The Bill is predominantly a political evaluation and assessment of financial resource allocation. We observe, for example, a nexus between the key provisions of the Division of Revenue Bill and the ANC's 2009 election manifesto. Key provisions of this Bill, particularly the new conditional grants, provide the legislative means by which key provisions in the ANC's 2009 election manifesto will be implemented. The new conditional grants include various grants.
The Ilima/Letsema projects grant helps poor farmers to increase production and to adopt modern farming methods. This grant has been allocated R650 million over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. It also includes the Overload Control Grant which has been allocated R21 million over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for initiatives to reduce overloading practices by trucks on the network; the Sani Pass Road Grant which is receiving R34 million for road infrastructure projects that promote integration and development between South Africa and Lesotho; and the Expanded Public Works Programme incentive grant for municipalities encouraging provinces to increase spending on labour-intensive programmes.
Furthermore, some of the other conditional grants are: the Public Transport Operations Grant which is receiving R11,5 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for the subsidisation of commuter bus services; the Technical Secondary Schools Recapitalisation Grant which has been allocated R280 million for equipment and facilities in these schools; the Health Disaster Response (Cholera) Grant is receiving R50 million; and the Housing Disaster Relief Grant is receiving R150 million to respond to natural disasters. The ANC, in its 2009 election manifesto, has identified five priority areas, which are as follows: the creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods; education; health; rural development, food security and land reform; and the fight against crime and corruption. The improvement in the circumstances of the poor, who are seen as suffering from the legacy of apartheid, is the central thrust of the ANC's 2009 election manifesto. The reduction of poverty is based on the creation of new jobs. The struggle against poverty remains the central political task of the ANC's 2009 election manifesto. This Division of Revenue Bill is a vehicle for incrementally achieving the targets laid out in the manifesto, which are politically significant to the successful future of a democratic South Africa.
The Select Committee on Finance calls on the members of the NCOP to endorse the 2009 Division of Revenue Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, today, in the debate on the Division of Revenue Bill, I will speak on behalf of my province, the Eastern Cape. I will also talk about matters that have been brought to the attention of the committee and about the division of revenue.
We all know that this is probably the most important Bill passed in the NCOP. The first thing I would like to bring to your attention is that there is a need to develop a clear policy on land disposal as municipalities are more inclined to sell land to private developments than to government. This is affecting the spending of money allocated for housing delivery. The process of accreditation of municipalities must be speeded up. I would like to add that it must be municipalities that have the capacity to deal with this matter.
There is a need for the reconsideration of the local government equitable share formula rather than to base it on the outdated 2001 census. Instead, factors such as the prevalence of poverty and the location level of unemployment and education, among others, must be taken into account. It is proposed that historical backlogs be taken into account so that poor municipalities, especially those from the former homelands, may be assisted to get on par with others. If this is not done, these municipalities will actually never catch up, and they will always be in trouble. It is very important that this is dealt with.
Circumstances specific to each municipality are not taken into account with the Municipal Systems Improvement Grant and the Financial Management Grant allocations. Although the new conditional grants are welcomed, we are of the view that the Overload Control Grant should be brought forward to the 2009-10 financial year, taking into account the infrastructure of our roads.
It is proposed that the Local Government Data Collection Forum referred to on page 71 of the Division of Revenue Act be decentralised to the provinces. Although provinces are welcoming the favourable response from government regarding the Financial and Fiscal Commission submissions, it is proposed that timelines be attached to responses.
In conclusion, I would just like to mention that oversight must be very rigid on the spending of conditional grants. We have had cases in the country and in our provinces where Municipal Infrastructure Grant funds were used to pay salaries of councillors. It is of utmost importance that we are very vigilant as far as the spending of conditional grants is concerned. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, the division of revenue that is considering the poor is welcomed if it is going to be used as budgeted for in the areas of allocation. The allocation of an extra R45 billion for provinces towards health, education, roads and rural development is appreciated.
Municipalities have to be assisted with more funding for the Ilima/Letsema projects to plough the fields that are lying fallow in rural areas. Co- operation with local farmers will definitely call for more than the R50 million that has been allocated for Ilima/Letsema projects so that people can be assisted to get out of poverty.
We are all aware of the problems we are experiencing right now in various departments like the Department of Health, where one may actually say that the training of nurses has to be looked at. Rather than leaving it to universities, training must be done at hospitals where nurses will have hands-on training through the nursing of patients at their bedsides. This should be done rather than having nurses being trained privately and paying exorbitant sums of money like R7 200 just to be trained as a nurse who has to make people aware of what is going on with diseases. So, the money we have needs to be used properly. We cannot say the money is not enough. We all have to co-operate in the three spheres of government to assist each other in making sure that the money that has been given is used appropriately.
The IFP and our province support the Bill that is in front of us. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Deputy Minister Nene, comrades and colleagues, the people of South Africa gave the ANC an overwhelming mandate to change their lives through, amongst others, the Budget. The Division of Revenue Bill that we are passing today is, therefore, one major tool that contributes to the creation of a better life. The track record of the ANC government, over the past 15 years, shows the steps that the ANC government has taken to address decades of deprivation and exclusion from the mainstream provision of services. And the people would want the ANC to continue with a programme of ensuring that children in rural areas have the same access to quality education, health, a clean environment, and food security, amongst others, as children in the Western Cape.
Despite the global economic meltdown, this Division of Revenue Bill, informed by the ANC manifesto, addresses itself to decent job creation through, inter alia, a restructured public works programme and public infrastructure. No one in this House can deny that South Africa, today, is a construction site. Construction is taking place at the stadiums, and it is taking place on the roads. It is taking place everywhere.
One matter that drew a lot of attention in the hearings, Deputy Minister, was the issue of incentives for municipalities that exhibit the capacity to create more jobs. These municipalities will receive more from the R4,2 billion earmarked for this process over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. This is expecting the Lephalale Municipality in Limpopo, for instance, to compete with Johannesburg Metropolitan. Ordinarily, we all know that the budget of Johannesburg Metropolitan is bigger than most provinces' and, therefore, comparing the small, rural municipalities with metropolitans is like comparing a cat to an elephant. So, the committee suggested that what needs to be done is to build the capacity of the small, rural municipality in order to create more jobs, and to give an incentive to the municipality to create these jobs. With increased resources in many departments, it will be incumbent upon committees to do vigorous oversight over the departments to ensure that these resources are expended properly. The government has responded positively to disasters by providing a special disaster management grant for swift response to disasters that continue to ravage our country. Emerging farmers or poor people of the Alfred Nzo Municipality, for instance, in the Eastern Cape can't wait for 20 years for government to respond to disasters. It is not fair. We must pass this Bill so that service delivery can start tomorrow.
I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the co-operation that we received from the officials of departments, especially National Treasury and the Department of Provincial and Local Government. I thank you.
Chairperson, the first one was the maiden speech. This one is now the farewell speech. [Laughter.] Once again, let me extend our sincere appreciation to this House and, as I have indicated, particularly to the committee for having dealt with this Bill and now for the support that we have received from this House.
We trust that it is now up to us to ensure its implementation, and I have heard this in speech after speech - everybody has emphasised the importance of making sure that the money that has been allocated is buying what it is meant to buy.
A number of concerns have been raised, and I know most of these concerns are also in the report of the committee, which we take very seriously, and we have indicated that we will take into account most of the issues that have been raised.
One of the issues that was raised by the hon Robinson was the issue of the refusal to accredit the City of Cape Town. The hon member would know that this is a process that needs to be linked to the Department of Provincial and Local Government's review process on provincial and local government. I would imagine that the member, in her campaign, will also educate the nation on the importance of this process, without necessarily pointing fingers at government.
On the issue of the formula, also, that underestimates populations in metropolitans, two issues need to be taken into account. There have been substantial increases that were made to the local government equitable share allocations, which take into account the increases in service delivery responsibilities that have been assigned to local governments. Regarding the other issue, we require a fair basis for the allocation of required resources from the central source, which currently is Statistics South Africa and no other. I know that hon Robinson also raised the issue of how outdated the statistics are that Statistics South Africa still has on record, which is the 2001 statistics. We take note of that.
On the issue of the Libraries Conditional Grant, we agree that it is a priority. I did indicate in my speech that we have prioritised it, but all we want is that, together, we ensure that funds are spent for this particular purpose.
The Chairperson raised the issue that these allocations will be governed by the new Act of Parliament from now on, which is a constitutional requirement in terms of section 77(3) which has since been passed. We thank Parliament for having asserted its voice and ensuring that we have this piece of legislation. We look forward to its implementation, and we trust that you will all participate and make sure it achieves its intended objectives.
Other than that, Chairperson, I do not want to spoil this beautiful day. I want to take this opportunity, once again, to thank you all for the support and wish you well. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Bill be agreed to.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape. Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Chairperson, can we please take Order Number Four on the Order Paper just to allow Minister Shiceka to come in. It will take us about five minutes. Definitely, by that time, he will be here. I so move.
Is everyone in agreement with that?
HON MEMBERS: Yes.
And the DA, are you in agreement?
Chairperson, one must ask the question: Where is the Minister? We all knew about this meeting. Is he now suddenly being uplifted to a status beyond punctuality for a meeting that he is entitled to address?
Hon Watson, I asked if you agree to the question put. Hon Chief Whip, hon Watson does not agree.
Chairperson, if we get a decent response as to where the Minister is, perhaps we can agree. But just to say he is not here, he is late ...
The hon Chief Whip will answer.
Chairperson, let's put it to a vote. That's all.
HON MEMBERS: Yes.
Can we vote? Those who agree sit on the right side of my table. Hon Mzizi. Can I have order in this House please?
Chairperson, I think it would be appropriate that we accord the Minister THE time to be here. Let's continue with other business so that we don't lose anything. Thank you.
HON MEMBERS: Yes.
The Minister is running late. We will continue with Order Number Four. [Interjections.] I have spoken, thank you very much. I wish to apologise. We will go back to the Second, Third and Fourth Orders.