Thank you, Hon Chair. Minister Gordhan, we admit that you have a very difficult job. There are many competing issues and causes worthy of intervention and funding, and one cannot, due to limited income, attend to all as one would like. We think that you are doing a good job in the circumstances and for that we are thankful.
We have a country partitioned between a very modern economy on the one hand and the dire socioeconomic challenges on the other. It is thus easy to fall into a trap where one merely redistributes wealth from one side to the other. The challenge, of course, worldwide is to ensure that the middle class grows and that people are uplifted without resorting to killing the proverbial goose that lays the golden eggs. The ANC talks about the developmental state as the governmental instrument to perform this function. In this respect, the apt word is "development" as opposed to mere "redistribution", which does not solve the poverty problem.
Daarom is dit goed dat die Minister wil sorg dat Suid-Afrikaners meer spaar. Tog betaal die gewone man en vrou in die straat steeds te veel belasting. Die beplande belasting op myne en olie-ontginners gaan die industrie breek. Enige koolstofbelasting moet nie teruggeploeg word in die algemene fiskus nie, maar moet eerder geoormerk word vir groen projekte vir beide werkskepping en skoon energie. Daar moet kreatief gekyk word na hoe die gewone man en vrou se belastinglas verlig kan word deur byvoorbeeld ander belasting kreatief te kan inspan, soos belasting op groot, riskante beleggingsinstrumente, wat die positiewe sosiale effek sal h dat swak beleggings en toksiese finansile instrumente nie sal plaasvind nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Hence it is a good thing that the Minister wants to ensure that South Africans save more. However, the average man and woman in the street are still paying too much tax. The intended taxation of mines and oil companies will impact adversely on the industry. Any carbon tax should not be ploughed back into the general fiscus, but should rather be earmarked for green projects with the purpose of creating jobs and clean energy. Creative ways should be considered for relieving the tax burden of the average man and woman, for example by imposing other taxes in a creative manner, such as taxes on large, risky investment mechanisms, which will have the positive social effect of preventing bad investments and toxic financial instruments.]
Lastly, Minister, I also asked you to kindly look at two important matters with possible huge financial repercussions. The first is the R80 billion class action claim against Transnet instituted by the Transnet pensioners. If this claim is successful, the credit status of Transnet, and other parastatals by association, and probably national government itself, will be severely downgraded.
There is, however, a way out this impasse, if you are willing to talk to us. The same goes for the intractable e-tolls problem. A win-win scenario is still possible if you are willing to talk to us and other interested organisations. We think that we can submit a plan that will take us out of this impasse and that will benefit the country as a whole, as well as the affected individuals. Ons hoop om graag van die Minister in hierdie verband te hoor. Dankie vir u harde werk, Minister. [We hope to hear from the Minister in this regard. Thank you for your hard work, Minister.]
Thank you.