Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, director- general, chairpersons of the entities, and ladies and gentlemen, allow me to congratulate the Minister on his appointment to his new post. Sir, we are here to work with you to better South Africa.
As my colleague, the hon Hoosen, has dealt with the rest of the issues, I will focus only on the departmental entities, namely the Independent Electoral Commission, the Government Printing Works, and the Film and Publication Board.
Please allow me to congratulate the IEC chairperson, Adv Pansy Tlakula, the commissioners and the chief electoral officer for delivering credible, free and fair elections. We pride ourselves on your success; keep on doing a good job.
However, we are concerned about the continued negative publicity around the chairperson and her involvement in the tender debacle. The DA hopes this matter will be concluded timeously.
I am also compelled to emphasise the need to appoint credible employees to this body. This is with particular reference to the presiding officers, who are responsible for ensuring free and fair elections, arguably the single most important feature of participation in a democracy. While we applaud your performance in this respect, we feel there are some who do not know the difference between their party affiliation and the work they do for the IEC during elections, and that has the potential to derail democracy.
The Government Printing Works has been an example of a well-run state entity. It is efficient, effective and sustainable. It has a long history of manufacturing security printed matter such as passports, visas and related publishing, and providing production and dissemination services of the highest quality for government institutions. Today it ranks as one of the most progressive security printing specialists in Africa. It boasts a hi-tech production plant with world-leading equipment. However, we need to find a model that will help them retain and attract more qualified and experienced personnel to continue with the great work that the GPW has been doing.
The budget allocated to the smart ID card must be spent properly on the intended purpose. We also appeal that this project be delivered within the prescribed period and that it ensures that all South Africans are issued with a smart card ID. There has been some controversy surrounding the smart ID card project, however, as many do not understand its value and the important information regarding this project. It would therefore be useful to create greater awareness and understanding of the project among South Africans. This can be done through mobile awareness campaigns and advertisements such as pamphlets and posters in the various communities.
The Film and Publication Board needs to devise a plan to create strong branding and increase public awareness to ensure that every citizen understands its role and the kind of programmes the organisation offers. The FPB deals with the film, games and publication industries. Remarkable technological developments are noticeable in all three industries. The size and ability of the FPB needs to reflect these developments in order for it to better position itself to regulate this growing and technologically advanced industry efficiently.
The FPB needs to be protected as a vital institution in South Africa. As with the case of Brett Murray's painting, The Spear, the FPB's duties have at times been undermined by political interference, which has inhibited the institution's purpose. The FPB's role in South Africa is still vital in the quest to protect our children from unsuitable and potentially harmful contents in programming, and its purpose should be preserved and upheld.
Hon Minister, I want to assure you through the Chairperson that if the executive, the department and the portfolio committee all work together and play their part, we will deliver a successful service to the people of our country.
Let me just add this. I want to applaud the director-general and the deputy directors-general for their commitment to building a better quality service. This is probably the only department where the DG and the DDGs put their private cell phone numbers on their website for the benefit of the public. I thank you very much. [Applause.]