Let me clarify you on policy and where the ANC as the government is headed first. I will come to you later on. Anyway, there is nothing that you are going to ask because you asked me some stupid things. So, I don't have time for that! [Applause.]
In essence, the ANC has committed not only to reject the neoliberal notion that says only the private sector is capable of delivering services distributing resources in the economy. In our manifesto, we further said that we will extend the role of the state in various sectors of our economy.
Of course, we made this commitment with determination to run a clean state and intensify the fight against corruption. Those who claim that the ANC is seeking to privatise SOEs should read the ANC 2019 Election Manifesto and listen to the President of the country and the President of the ANC.
In this debate, we must be honest with ourselves. Which developmental state in history has ever succeeded by opening up its industries to competition with foreign
capital as South Africa has done? Perhaps, a thought we can consider is to revisit the policy of open skies in our country.
This could be achieved by limiting of a period the licence of foreign and domestic privately owned airlines in order to reposition SA Airways to compete and recover the profitable routes that it used to service. We need to oppose the Solidarity Union's court application.
In this instance, we are aware of this Solidarity, which is organised labour wing of the AfriForum and the DA that exist in the worst neoliberal tendencies that served papers on SA Airways, the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, asking the High Court: To put the national carrier on a business rescue; might be a means to stop South Africa's loses; and the airline should be sold to private investors.
We are not going to privatise. You don't have the mandate to govern. We are governing and we are telling you. You can scream all you want. I wish to call on the President, the government and SA Airways and the majority of trade
unions at SA Airways to oppose Solidarity's court application.
As said earlier, the best way to save SA Airways and all our SOEs is by building social compacts amongst patriotic South Africans to solve the problems confronting this National Treasury, similarly to the task of the SA Airways. The ANC says that we need to look into strategic partnerships, and that is what we are looking into.
So, on this motion, there is no confusion: We are going to move; and we are going to save this airline. So, this confusion that you want to create is not going to exist. And, let me respond to you about the unions that you are speaking about. They are trade unions and they are progressive because they are the leftist trade unions - the organised labour that deals with organised labour force that we have. [Interjections.]
Public service, as we speak, is the highest employer of government. Who is employing more than us in these instances? Then people want to tell us that we must close
down the airlines. Are you saying people must further be unemployed because you are comfortable?
We are stating that we want strategic partnership that will be able to have conditions. The conditions will that the private sector should come on board to make sure that they assist with issues of alleviation of poverty and unemployment. That is a progressive strategic partnership that we are going to have and the state will own the higher percentage.
We need to stand together against the business rescue. The chilly warning by a certain gentleman who is so- called experienced business rescue practitioner on Sunday newspapers was that the shareholder that is government will lose absolute control of the company and the business rescue alone will decide on the way forward. This is where I will employ my hon Comrade Shaik Emam to say that he needs to listen to the call.
So, as the ANC, we are saying that all progressive organisations cannot allow this to happen. It will signal a major setback of the project of building a democratic
developmental state and an advice by neoliberalism. So, I implore you that we come together and discuss this matter.
The worst thing is that this setback against progress will be inflicted by a group with neofascist leanings, regardless of our differences as the ANC. We must call on the parties that understand the stride to stand shoulder- to-shoulder with the workers, the board and the government to oppose the handover of SA Airways to business rescue practitioners.
Let me respond to you now, I am ready because I am done with the speech. Now, let's speak to FF-Plus very quickly. There is not much that you said; we know that you were going to say the same things in any case: Business rescue - you want us to sell the airline.
You really are oblivious to the past injustices that we find ourselves in. This is what we are trying to redress and you are busy telling it is better to have a salary than not to have anything. There is a Labour Act that implores bargaining that should happen.
Now, when you come as a responsible Member of Parliament and you are telling us it is better to have a salary than nothing: Don't you care about the black lives? Don't you care about a life of a black person that is employed at the lowest skilled labour force? Then you want to tell us that we must just agree! [Time expired.] Ooh my God, when I was about to start. Is my time over?